ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday met a delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) led by Federal Minister for Education and MQM Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and discussed the upcoming federal budget, public welfare projects in Sindh and Karachi, and the overall political situation in the country.
The delegation included MQM leaders Farooq Sattar, Members of the National Assembly Syed Amin Ul Haque and Javed Hanif. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah also attended the meeting.
During the meeting, the MQM delegation presented its proposals regarding the forthcoming federal budget to the prime minister.
The two sides also held detailed discussions on public welfare and development projects being carried out by the federal government in Sindh, particularly Karachi.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said MQM was an important ally of the federal government and had supported the government’s every initiative aimed at public welfare.
The prime minister directed the relevant authorities to examine MQM’s budget proposals and formulate a practical and comprehensive strategy in this regard. The meeting also discussed the prevailing political situation in the country.
PM Shehbaz meets Chinese delegation
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday received a high-level Chinese delegation, led by Cai Dafeng, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), that is visiting Pakistan to participate in the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.
Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning and Special Initiatives, Mr Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Mr Attaullah Tarar, SAPM Tariq Fatemi, and Foreign Secretary Amb. Amna Baloch attended the meeting, a Prime Minister’s office news release said.
While welcoming the Chinese dignitary to Pakistan on this auspicious occasion, the Prime Minister proudly recalled the historic, time-tested All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China. He stated that, over the past seventy-five years, Pakistan and China have established a unique bond of friendship, anchored in mutual trust and strategic convergence on issues of bilateral and regional significance.
The Prime Minister conveyed his warm greetings to President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and the Chinese people on the occasion of the 75th anniversary, and reiterated Pakistan’s full support for China’s core interests, while expressing appreciation for China’s continued support for Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Prime Minister lauded the role of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as a game-changer for Pakistan’s socio-economic development and reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm resolve to ensure the success of the next phase of CPEC, focused on agriculture, IT, industries and the mining sector. He stated that he was greatly looking forward to his upcoming official visit to China.
In the context of the regional situation, the Prime Minister appreciated China’s constructive role in promoting peace and stability in South Asia and in the Middle East, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to regional harmony and multilateral cooperation.
Vice Chairman Cai Dafeng thanked the Prime Minister for the warm welcome extended to him and his delegation and reciprocated the greetings on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. While expressing the Chinese leadership’s strong commitment to further strengthening China-Pakistan relations, the Vice Chairman said that China would continue to support Pakistan and continue its close cooperation with Pakistan to build a China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future.
The visiting dignitary added that China was fully supportive of Pakistan’s role in the ongoing regional peace efforts and would continue to play its part in order to maintain global peace and stability. Both sides underscored the uniqueness of the Pakistan-China ironclad brotherhood as a vital pillar of peace, development, and stability in the region.
