Pakistan PM advocates economic empowerment on World Poverty Day

ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan on Thursday called on Afghanistan’s administration to take “visible and verifiable” steps to address militant threat, according to a joint statement, as President Asif Ali Zardari discussed enhanced economic collaboration and people-to-people ties during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Zardari is on a five-day visit to Beijing, where he also met Chinese President Xi Jinping a day earlier and invited him to visit Pakistan. His engagements with Chinese officials come amid Beijing’s growing concerns over the security of its nationals working in Pakistan, many of whom are involved in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and have been targeted in a series of attacks in recent years.

During his meeting with Xi, Zardari acknowledged that Pakistan’s relationship with China had “gone through ups and downs” but said it would not be undermined by militant violence.

Most of the attacks against the Chinese workers have been attributed to groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which Pakistan says operate from neighboring Afghanistan. Kabul denies the allegation.

“The two sides [Pakistan and China] agreed to maintain close communication and coordination on the issue of Afghanistan, and play a constructive role in helping Afghanistan achieve stable development and integrate into the international community,” said the joint statement released by Pakistan’s foreign office.

“They called on the Interim Afghan Government to take visible and verifiable actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist groups based in Afghanistan which continue to pose a serious threat to regional and global security, and to prevent the use of Afghan territory against other countries,” it added.

The statement also highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to ensuring the safety of Chinese workers, calling it the country’s “foremost responsibility.”

“The Pakistani side reiterated its strongest condemnation of the terrorist attacks in Pakistan involving Chinese personnel,” it said, adding that the government would continue to investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“It will also further increase input into security, and take targeted and enhanced measures to effectively ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan,” the statement said.

Separately, the Pakistani president met with Chinese Premier Li at the Great Hall of the People, reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to deepening its “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership” with Beijing.

“The President highlighted the pivotal role of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in promoting regional connectivity and economic growth and expressed appreciation for China’s continued support toward Pakistan’s development agenda,” a statement from Pakistan’s presidency said.

Discussions between the two leaders focused on the expansion of cooperation under “CPEC 2.0,” with an emphasis on renewable energy, science and technology, infrastructure and agriculture.

They also explored ways to enhance trade and investment through business-to-business linkages.

Both sides underscored the importance of strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges to build a “China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future in the New Era,” the statement added.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan inaugurated the country’s first-ever solo “Made in Pakistan” exhibition in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the Saudi-Pak trade relations.

Saudi Arabia presents a key export opportunity for Pakistani businesses, given its strong consumer demand, large expatriate workforce and ambitious Vision 2030 economic reforms that emphasize diversification and foreign investments.

Pakistan has sought to strengthen business-to-business (B2B) ties with the Kingdom, with both sides announcing during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh last October that they had signed 34 memorandums of understanding and agreements worth $2.8 billion to enhance private sector collaboration and commercial partnerships.

Addressing a gathering of Saudi officials, business leaders and diplomats at the three-day event, the Pakistani minister emphasized the importance of enhancing bilateral economic cooperation and exhibiting his country’s diverse industrial potential.

“This event is a testament to the enduring relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, rooted in shared faith, cultural ties and strategic partnership,” he said, according to a statement released by his office.

Khan expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its unwavering support in organizing the exhibition.

He maintained the event served as a platform to present Pakistan’s best products and services, including textiles, sports goods, light engineering, food items, construction materials and more.

The minister underlined the government’s commitment to expanding trade and investment ties with Saudi Arabia through strategic economic initiatives.

He noted that Pakistan’s evolving industrial base and dynamic economy offered immense potential for collaboration, particularly in sectors like food security, energy, mining and human resource development.

“Our government is dedicated to fostering an investment-driven environment, and Saudi Arabia, with its Vision 2030, is ideally positioned to benefit from these opportunities,” he said.

Khan praised the contributions of the 2.7 million-strong Pakistani diaspora in Saudi Arabia, describing them as a cornerstone of the countries’ bilateral ties. He also highlighted that over 1.7 million Pakistani workers had migrated to the

Kingdom in the past five years, making it the top destination for Pakistani emigrants.

The minister stressed the need for joint efforts in skill development to further enhance employment opportunities for Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia.

He called for deeper collaborations between Pakistani and Saudi businesses, emphasizing the potential for joint ventures targeting markets in Africa, Central Asia, and the Far East.

“Together, we can explore new markets and create successful trilateral partnerships, leveraging the vast experience of Pakistani entrepreneurs,” he said.

Khan described the exhibition as a symbol of growing economic partnership between our nations, saying it would open new avenues for cooperation and mutual growth.

The Made in Pakistan Exhibition, featuring 137 Pakistani companies, has attracted a number of potential buyers and companies.

The event will run from February 5 to 7.