PM’s China visit to mark conclusion of diverse agreements, advance CPEC cooperation: FO

ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (NNI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to visit China next week which, the Foreign Office spokesperson said, would mark the conclusion of MoUs and agreements in the diverse areas and help advance the agenda of bilateral cooperation.
In his weekly press briefing, spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said the visit scheduled on November 1-2, was expected to advance wide-ranging bilateral cooperation agenda in which two sides would review the All-Weather Strategic Cooperation Partnership and exchange views on regional and global developments.
He said the visit would also help consolidate the momentum of CPEC cooperation in wake of the 11th
meeting of the CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) held on Thursday, in which both sides expressed satisfaction over the ongoing projects under CPEC while several new projects were also proposed.
The prime minister, who would also be accompanied by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would meet with President Xi Jinping and hold delegation-level talks with Premier Li Keqiang.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz would be among the first world leaders to visit China after the 20th CPC Congress, and this would be the prime minister’s first official bilateral visit to China.
“I think this visit is going to be another milestone in further strengthening of Pakistan-China relation and our collective vision about the prosperity and development of our two peoples and for Pakistan-China to continue to work together for the peace and stability of the region,” spokesperson Asim Iftikhar added.
The spokesperson started his remarks by expressing condolences over the “shocking and untimely” death of prominent journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya and apprised the newsmen how the Foreign Office remained engaged with the Kenyan authorities on the matter.
He said as Pakistan had formally requested the Kenyan government for a detailed investigation and the government also formed a two-member team to ascertain the facts related to the murder which would reach Kenya on Friday night.
“We need to wait for the reports of the investigation, what the Kenyan authorities will formally come up with and what this team will report back,” the spokesperson remarked.
He said at present, there is no mutual legal assistance (MLA) treaty between Pakistan and Kenya, but “we have been assured of full cooperation in this matter.”
Asked whether the Foreign Minister wrote any letter to UAE authorities to expel Arshad Sharif from UAE or to send him back to Pakistan, the spokesperson said “There is no such letter to our knowledge. I would like to say very clearly, this is absolutely baseless; there is no truth in it whatsoever.”
Referring to the observance of Kashmir Black Day on Thursday, the spokesperson said the country’s leadership, foreign ministry and Pakistan’s missions abroad, through multiple events, underscored Pakistan’s principled position, and resolve to support the Kashmiri people, and called upon the international community to play its due role in urging India to end its illegal occupation, halt massive human rights violations and cease repressive measures against the Kashmiris. NNI