-Says Pakistani, Chinese Leadership committed to CPEC’s completion
-Terms Pakistan, China friendship unmatchable
By Our Diplomatic
Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said on Wednesday that the leadership of Pakistan and China is committed to complete the second phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at the earliest.
Talking to Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing, who paid a farewell call on him in Islamabad.
FM Qureshi said the long-lasting friendship of Pakistan and China has become an example in the world.
Lauding the services of Yao Jing to strengthen the relationship between Pakistan and China, he expressed hope that the new Chinese Ambassador will continue to work with the same commitment.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi congratulated the Chinese Ambassador for receiving Hilal-e-Pakistan Award in recognition of his services. The Chinese envoy thanked the foreign minister for his cooperation during his stay in Pakistan.
Earlier on Tuesday, President Dr. Arif Alvi gad conferred the Hilal-e-Pakistan award on Chinese envoy Yao Jing at a special investiture ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, in recognition of the services made by the outgoing Chinese ambassador for improving Pakistan-China relations.
Later, the ambassador had called on the president and discussed matters pertaining to bilateral relations between the two countries.
Talking to the Chinese ambassador, President Alvi had said that China was a close friend, which has always supported Pakistan on all issues of national interest.
On the occasion, the ambassador assured that China would continue its efforts to promote peace and connectivity in the region. He specially thanked the president for being the only head of state to visit China during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday warned people to beware of enemy sowing seeds of hatred to harm peace and tranquility in the country.
Addressing inaugural three-day 781st Urs ceremony of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya after giving traditional bath to the grave of the great saint, he said, the enemy forces were trying hard to breach the national cohesion through fake news to create divide on sectarian and ethnic lines and nurturing their anti-Pakistan agenda.
The enemy attacked us last year but fled away after reprisal, he said adding that now its tactics are changing. They are now trying to create sectarian strife. The country was being pushed into a hybrid war, he said. He advised people to respect one another creed and faith and talk about each other with reverence. Foreign Minister said that Muslim countries were passing through immense difficulties currently and many nations who were prosperous were now trapped in problems.
He said, it was our fundamental responsibility to save ourselves from flames of the fire being ignited by the enemy.
Qureshi advised people to learn to forgive each other adding that ups and downs are part of life.
He said the course of tranquility comes through difficulties and added that one must move to gain spiritual serenity.
He appealed the participants to carry forward his message as the world was being pushed into new form of battlefield.
A psychological war was being imposed on us, he emphasized. He appealed Ulema to comprehend the conspiracies of the enemy and spread the message of peace and love among the people.
He was happy to see lovers of the saint pouring into the mausoleum to pay respect to the saint in great numbers disregarding difficulties. He praised Zaireen from Sindh who faced heavy rains that disturbed their life but did not forget to pay respect to the saint.
“The love I find here was matchless.” Qureshi lauded the saint for advocating peace, brotherhood and love.
He hailed media and scholars as they had played ‘responsible role’ to hit back propaganda of enemy vigorously. He said, media and intellectuals should continue to defend county’s national interests and ideological frontiers.
He said, national unity was the need of the hour. He said that every individual must play role to strengthen Pakistan further.
