By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday reaffirmed their resolve to further solidify Pakistan-China bilateral relations.
In a telephonic conversation, the two leaders stressed the need to continue with the momentum of high-level exchanges to further diversify and deepen strategic cooperation between the two countries.
During the call, the 70th anniversary of establishment of Pakistan-China diplomatic ties, bilateral relations and cooperation on COVID-19 vaccine was discussed. The year 2021 is a special occasion as it marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.
The Prime Minister congratulated the Chinese premier at the special occasion, which will be celebrated by both sides in a befitting manner. Prime Minister Imran Khan emphasized that with collective and tireless efforts over the years, Pakistan and China had transformed their relationship into an “All-Weather Strategic Co-operative Partnership”.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative and has generated economic activity, employment and will further enhance bilateral and regional trade.
The Prime Minister highlighted Pakistan-China cooperation in fighting COVID-19 and deeply appreciated China’s continued support to Pakistan in supply of COVID vaccine.
He thanked China for providing assistance to National Institute of Health (NIH) for establishing vaccine manufacturing facility in Pakistan, which he said, would further solidify Pakistan’s efforts to combat coronavirus.
Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated Premier Li and the Chinese leadership for the successful landing of Chinese spacecraft on Mars, which showed the rising technological prowess of China.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that the opposition feared the PTI-led government’s success and thus started claiming from day one that the government had failed because it could foresee its “political death”.
Addressing the virtual groundbreaking ceremony of Balochistan’s Naukundi-Mashkhel road in Islamabad, the premier said his government’s opponents and the “mafias” did not worry about the government’s failure but feared its success.
He added that the first time the PTI had formed government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it had been a coalition government and the province did not usually give a second attempt to political parties. Yet when the next election came the PTI returned with a two-thirds majority and its opponents were in a very “bad state”. “All of you can see what their conditions are today,” he said of the opposition.
“They have the same fear here in all of Pakistan since our government came at the federal level.
“They’re all afraid now of us becoming successful hence they start making noise from the first day that the government has failed because it is their wish for failure [of the government] because they see their political death,” said the premier.
Prime Minister Imran said he wanted to see “all these big mafias being brought under the ambit of the law” by the end of his government’s five years and for rule of law to be established in the country.
He termed this struggle for the law as his “first objective”, saying his second goal was to lift Pakistan’s weak segments as never done before in the country. The premier said that a great nation was made on the basis of two things: rule of law and a “system of humanity” or a welfare state as established in the State of Madina.
He compared China and India, saying the former had pursued accountability and brought the powerful under the law while also raising its poor segment up which explained the present gap between the two countries.
Speaking of his government’s efforts for the welfare of the poor, the prime minister cited the initiatives such as medical insurance through health cards, reducing the disparity between English- and Urdu-medium education through the Single National Curriculum, constructing ‘Panahgahs’ (shelter homes) for labourers and mobile food trucks for distribution of meals in poor areas.
He said the incentives the government had given for industries and large-scale manufacturing had contributed to growth, development and employment opportunities.
“With the agricultural reforms we are doing … you will see we will change the lives of farmers,” he told the ceremony. “The biggest way to reduce poverty is helping small-scale farmers.”
Separately, Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed to formulate master plans for big cities of the country immediately to avoid growing environmental issues. He was chairing weekly meeting of National Coordination Committee for Housing, Construction and Development in Islamabad Thursday.
The Prime Minister said rising unorganized and unplanned urbanization is not only a threat to the environment but also creating food security issues.
He also directed that protection of green areas should be considered as a national emergency as green Pakistan is essential for future generations and to provide them a healthy environment.
Imran Khan instructed to immediate formulate rules and regulations in utilizing the land and implementation strategy.
He also directed to engage general public to protect green areas. The Prime Minister tasked the Finance Minister for providing easy and low-interest loans to the weaker segments of society enabling them to build their own houses.
The meeting also decided to amend the existing laws regarding utilization of agricultural, residential and other lands for the protection of green areas. It also decided that Green Building Code prepared by the Ministry of Climate Change will be implemented in Naya Pakistan Housing scheme as pilot project.
