NEIGHBOURING countries China and Pakistan have the most ideal friendly relations which is unparalleled between any other two countries of the world. Words are not enough to describe time-tested, all -weather friendship between the two countries which is higher than the Himalayas and deeper than the Arabian Sea.
Pakistan’s most friendly country China is hosting the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) forum for further promoting and strengthening international cooperation which is scheduled to take place on 17 and 18 October in Beijing. During this mega event, Chinese policymakers are likely to unveil new priorities, plans, policies and projects aiming at advancing regional and global development and connectivity through the BRI which is quite rightly often described as the “21st Century Project of the Century”. More than 120 countries have confirmed their participation in this quite important and significant event. The participating countries are likely to be represented at the highest possible level.
At 3rd BRI Forum Pakistan is being represented at the highest level by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar who is currently on a three-day (16-18 Oct) visit to China which is likely to turn out to be quite productive despite being short. The visiting Pakistani leader will not only hold meetings with the top Chinese leadership but also avail the opportunity to interact with leaders from other friendly countries besides signing as many as 15 important agreements and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) to be launched and implemented in different parts of Pakistan under the great changer China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework .Chinese leadership time and again has reiterated their commitment and willingness to continue supporting the high-quality development under the CPEC banner which has just completed its first decade. The project has already brought tangible benefits to Pakistan’s economic development and its people through investment and projects in different sectors.
According to diplomatic sources, during Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq’s visit , the two sides are likely to sign about two dozen pacts at the 3rd BRI Forum. The agreements and MoUs to be signed during by the visiting Pakistani leader along with the relevant Chinese authorities will cover as many as eight key areas including urban sustainable development, major issues of Belt and Road Cooperation, mineral development, industrial cooperation, research on the routes for industrial cooperation, export exchange mechanism on Gwadar Port, development, Green and Low-Carbon Development and Digital Economy Cooperation.
Agreements and MoUs to be initialled, signed and discussed at the appropriate levels during the visit of Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar are most likely to include Pakistan Railways Mega Main Line (ML-1) project for upgradation and rehabilitation of Karachi to Peshawar rail track substantially increasing passenger and goods trains , Karachi Circular Railway , realignment of Karakoram Highway (KKH) Thakot-Raikot section due to construction of Dasu Dam, Dera Ismail Khan-Zhob Road project, Mirpur-Muzaffarabad-Mansehra road,Babusar Tunnel and Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) among others. Agreements regarding protocol for the export of donkeys skins , dairy products and meat export for the first time ever will also be during the caretaker PM’s visit. Other agreements also likely to be initialled on the somewhat historic visit of the Pakistani leader also include Advanced Metering Infrastructure, Pakistan Space Centre and Urban Development of Gwadar obviously all under the framework of CPEC.
During the first decade of CPEC the iron-clad friendship between China and Pakistan has been further strengthened and consolidated. The achievements under the CPEC framework under the great game changer in different sectors and regions of Pakistan will in all fairness be highlighted in a separate article soon, please.
As briefly mentioned above, during his three-day visit Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar will be going through a hectic schedule of activities and engagements. Besides attending 3rd Belt and Road Initiative forum for international cooperation on October 17 and 18, he will be holding important meetings with the top Chinese leaders and also the highest government leaders from the participating countries and exchange views with them on matters of mutual interest and promote Pakistan’s bilateral relations and further strengthening existing very warm and cordial relations with China as well as with host of other friendly countries.
He has been quite active as such both on the internal and external sectors, visiting different parts of the country to ascertain problems and issues faced by the people and taking appropriate measures for resolving them at the earliest and providing much elusive relief to the people at large as the representative of the people of Pakistan. More about Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq’s visit to China and its possible outcome and impacts after it has been completed after some time.
—The writer is a retired Deputy Controller (News), Radio Pakistan, based in Lahore.
Email: zahidriffat@gmail.com
