First overseas visit: Nawaz likely to visit China next month

FO spokesperson says exact details of visit still being worked out.

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is likely to pay an official visit to China in the first week of July, according to senior foreign ministry officials.

Talking to The Express Tribune, foreign ministry spokesperson Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said the details of the visit were still being worked out by the two countries’ foreign offices. He added that the exact dates of the visit have not been finalised so far.

According to an official source, a high-level delegation comprising members of the federal cabinet, parliamentarians and other senior officials will accompany Nawaz on his first official trip after assuming the premier’s office. Apart from issues pertaining to the strategic partnership between the two nations, the officials will discuss ways to avail Chinese assistance in order to overcome Pakistan’s energy crisis.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang invited Nawaz to visit China during a meeting with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief on the sidelines of his visit to Islamabad last month. Pakistan was Premier Li’s second stop during his first overseas trip after assuming office in March. Nawaz, who had yet to be elected prime minister at the time, confirmed he had accepted the Chinese premier’s invitation at a news conference following the meeting.



The Chinese leader congratulated Nawaz on his party’s success in the May 11 elections.

Following the meeting, a PML-N source had said that both leaders held an in-depth discussion on ways to further strengthen existing bilateral and strategic relations between the two countries in various fields. The Chinese premier told Nawaz his country would assist Pakistan in the field of civil nuclear technology so that the latter could overcome its energy crisis.

Top PML-N leaders Shahbaz Sharif, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Senator Ishaq Dar were also present at the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2013.