Chinese president’s visit to Pakistan is still on: FO

Foreign Office sources say an advance team of the Chinese president arrived on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Wednesday dispelled rumours surrounding postponement of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan, asserting that the tour was on schedule,

Political upheaval in the country had already forced the cancellation of the Sri Lankan president's visit to Pakistan earlier in August.

“The visit is very much on,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said.

Aslam said Jinping would visit Pakistan some time in September, but refrained to give any further details or a definitive date.

Sources in the Foreign Office said that an advance team comprising protocol and security officials of the Chinese president reached Islamabad on Wednesday to finalise the details of his tour.

His visit is being seen as crucial for Pakistan with a number of key economic and defence deals expected to be signed.

Fate of the visit, however, hangs in balance due to the ongoing protests by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the federal capital since August 14.