Pakistan has requested China to reschedule USD 3.4 billion debt for two years to bridge a foreign funding gap identified by the International Monetary Fund, according to a media report on Saturday. This is the second time in the past five months that Islamabad has requested Beijing to reschedule loans provided by its Exim bank. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar made the formal request during this week's visit to Beijing, The Express Tribune newspaper reported, quoting government sources. Pakistan requested the Export-Import (Exim) Bank of China to consider rearrangement of its loans due from October 2024 to September 2027, said the government officials. A two-year extension was sought to repay the official and guaranteed debt obtained from the Exim Bank. Pakistan would keep making interest payments. Sources said that Pakistan was required to identify financing sources to fill the external financing gap of USD 5 billion for the three-year programme period. They added the Chinese ...
Six Chinese nationals in Pakistan petitioned a high court against police harassment, including demanding money and putting restrictions on their movement in the name of security. They filed the plea in the Sindh High Court in Karachi on Friday, where a two-judge bench heard the case. The bench issued notices to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others, including the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and its consulate in Karachi and relevant federal and provincial law officers. Xu Hui, Deng Huan and four other Chinese nationals filed the petition through their counsel, submitting that they came to Pakistan after fulfilling all required legal formalities and invested a significant amount of money and resources in various business ventures and sectors in the country. It is the first time Chinese nationals have approached a high court against harassment by police in Pakistan. The petitioners cited Sindh's chief secretary, the provincial home secretary, the inspector general of police, and
Pakistan's largest international airport, funded and built by all-weather ally China, in the restive Balochistan province was officially opened on Monday. The Gwadar International Airport and the Gwadar deep sea port built in the province under the USD 42 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project (CPEC) are seen as important for boosting trade and regional connectivity by both countries. The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) PK 503 aircraft was the first commercial flight to arrive at the new airport after its inauguration carrying commercial passengers and high-ranking officials. The aircraft which took off from Karachi after a 45-minute delay landed after an hour and 10 minutes flight. China and Pakistan see the port city of Gwadar and its deep sea port and international airport as a hub of connectivity for the corridor, and an indispensable interchange for a 21st century Silk Route. The airport, equipped with modern facilities, is expected to play a critical role in
President Zardari met with a delegation led by the Chinese Consul General Yang Yundong at Bilawal House in Karachi, where he called for greater Chinese investment in Pakistan's various sectors
Amid rising attacks on Chinese workers in Pakistan, Beijing pressures Islamabad to act. Pakistan now eyes a security firm, sparking questions on sovereignty and deepening tensions
The attacks have frustrated China, reportedly leading it to press Pakistan's federal government to open formal negotiations for a joint security management system
Pakistan and China military officials held talks on counter-terrorism and regional security amid unease following the recent attacks on Chinese nationals. General Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) China and one of China's two top military leaders, is visiting Pakistan along with a high-level delegation, according to a military statement. General Zhang held a one-on-one meeting with Army Chief Gen Asim Munir on Wednesday, followed by delegation-level discussions. According to the statement, the engagements focused on matters of mutual interest, regional security dynamics, measures for regional stability, and enhancing bilateral defence cooperation. General Zhang spoke about Pakistan's ongoing counter-terrorism efforts, which remain a key topic of discussion between the two countries due to the rising frequency of attacks targeting Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Newspaper Dawn reported that there have been media reports that Beijing is seek
Facing China's mounting demands for better security after attacks on its citizens and CPEC delays, Pakistan is under intense pressure to safeguard Beijing's interests
Many Chinese companies in Pakistan have reportedly turned to Chinese security engineers to gather intelligence amid inadequate local security arrangements
Pakistan and the US are "old friends and partners", the Foreign Office spokesperson said on Thursday, but added that Donald Trump's election as the new American President will not affect Islamabad's ties with China. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated President-elect Trump on his election as the 47th President of the US. Our relations with the United States are decades old, and we look forward to further strengthening and broadening Pakistan-US relationship in all fields," Baloch said at the weekly briefing. Responding to a question if Trump's election will affect Pakistan-China ties, she said Islamabad's relations with Beijing are "all-weather, strategic, and a source of stability" in the country's foreign policy. "This relationship has remained unaffected by developments around the world. So we do not need to even consider the possibility that this relationship will be affected by any domestic development in another
Chinese workers in Pakistan have been targeted by terrorist attacks twice within six months, prompting Beijing to raise security concerns at the highest diplomatic levels, but to little avail
Pakistan and China's 'higher than the mountains and deeper than the ocean' relationship appears to be under strain, with tense public exchanges underscoring Beijing's growing concerns
Ensuring the safety and security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan under CPEC is reportedly costing Islamabad millions of dollars
Two countries are entering into second phase of the CPEC program, part of China's Belt and Road initiative, that Islamabad expects will lead to relocation of Chinese export industries to Pakistan
China has reportedly demanded that Pakistan sign an agreement on anti-terrorism cooperation to address Beijing's security concerns
Pakistan's finance minister recently acknowledged difficulties faced by all segments of society because of high interest rates, energy prices, increased tax burden, and currency devaluation
Security agencies have seized yet another Pakistan-bound consignment, consisting of internationally banned chemicals used for tear gas and riot control agents, from China at a port in Tamil Nadu, officials said here on Thursday. According to officials, Pakistan is allegedly working on an offensive chemical and biological warfare program with the help of its 'all-weather friend' China. The officials said that the Chinese firm, Chengdu Shichen Trading Co. Ltd, had shipped a consignment of "Ortho-Chloro Benzylidene Malononitrile" to Rohail Enterprises, a Rawalpindi-based Defence supplier. The consignment, weighing about 2560 kgs, was stored in 103 drums of 25 kgs each and loaded into a carrier vessel Hyundai Shanghai (sailing under Cyprus flag), on April 18, 2024, at Shanghai Port, China, they said. The Karachi-bound vessel reached Kattupalli Port (Tamil Nadu) on May 08, 2024. The Customs authorities on routine checking detained the consignment as the chemical's name figured under ..
Pakistan has decided to approach its all-weather ally China with a formal request to restructure its USD 15 billion energy debt to help the cash-strapped country wriggle out of its financial woes. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb would visit China this week, the Express Tribune newspaper quoted highly placed sources as saying. While Iqbal's visit was pre-planned, the finance minister is being sent as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's special messenger, they added. Iqbal is scheduled to attend the Global Development Initiative forum to be held in China from July 11 to 13. As the finance minister's visit was not scheduled earlier, Pakistan's ambassador to Beijing has been instructed to arrange meetings with Chinese authorities, said the sources. A Cabinet member, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the premier decided the issue of Chinese Independent Power Producers' (IPP) debt should be immediately taken up for re-profiling. Accord
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said a new era of Pakistan-China cooperation in the information technology (IT), communication, mining, and energy sectors has dawned and will lead to economic development and deepening of the time-tested bilateral relationship. Sharif's remarks came as he chaired a review meeting in Islamabad on Saturday on the implementation of agreements and MOUs reached during his recent visit to China, Radio Pakistan reported. The prime minister said that the promotion of Pakistan-China cooperation in these fields will lead to economic development, strengthening of regional ties, and deepening of the relations between the two countries. Referring to the time-tested Pak-China friendship, he said that China had always supported Pakistan in difficult times. China has emerged as the strongest economic power and Pakistan can emulate its development, he added. The 72-year-old Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that no disruption will be tolerated in th
Marri, known for his advocacy of Baloch independence, alleged that the operation was being conducted on the orders of China to protect its economic interests in Pakistan