BEIJING:
Pakistan and China signed three memoranda of understanding and an agreement on Wednesday as President Asif Ali Zardari attended the 12th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Beijing.
The MoUs encompass the supply of water from Tarbela to Islamabad, the establishment of a special economic zone in Zulfikarabad and the building of 6,000 apartments in I-15 sector on private public partnership basis, as well as an agreement for the de-silting of canals and barrages in Sindh.
President Asif Ali Zardari was present during the signing ceremony of the agreements and MoUs. Presidential spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the development had provided a fresh impetus for further strengthening economic engagement between the two countries. The president held separate meetings with the four leading Chinese business executives, inviting them to take advantage of Pakistan’s investment-friendly policies.
Babar said that the president highlighted business and investment opportunities present in Pakistan and invited the business executives to further extend their business ventures in the country.
In his meeting with the Chairman of Orient Group, Zhang Hongwei, the president appreciated the group’s investments in Pakistan in the area of oil and gas exploration and alternate energy and even invited the company to set up an oil refinery at Karachi port again.
President Asif Ali Zardari said that the government, in view of future scarcity of water, intends to invest in the water sector for conservation of the water resources, adding that Pakistan was keen to learn from the Chinese experience of growth in every field.
The president also held a meeting with the president of Afghanistan on the sidelines of the SCO summit. During his meeting with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, the president reaffirmed Pakistan’s unabated support for stability, peace and socio-economic development in Afghanistan.
Zardari said Pakistan was in favour of a strong Afghan National Security Force, adding that Pakistan had announced an amount of $20 million to support the Force. He also called on his Afghan counterpart to expedite the operationalisation of a commission to deal with the issue of prisoners and detainees.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 7th, 2012.
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As much thankless Afghanistan and its immigrants have been we will continue to support Afghanistan for a better more prosperous future of this region. God Willing
good news but do I have dust in my eyes or what? >> [ "Zardari said Pakistan was in favour of a strong Afghan National Security Force, adding that Pakistan had announced an amount of $20 million to support the Force." ] LIKE SERIOUSLY??? :|