Islamabad: Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has said that Pakistan will continue working closely with China to ensure the security of Chinese citizens, projects, and institutions. He was talking to Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, who called on him in Islamabad. Condemning the recent attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi, the Minister emphasized that Pakistan will take all necessary measures to bring the perpetrators to justice.

According to Radio Pakistan, Ahsan Iqbal stated that the government and people of Pakistan stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Chinese friends during this challenging time and extend sincere condolences to the families of the victims. He said this heinous act, clearly aimed at damaging Pakistan-China relations, will not be tolerated. He assured the ambassador that the safety of Chinese nationals in Pakistan remains a top priority.

Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong said Pakistan and China share an unbreakable iron brother bond, and the leaders of
both countries are committed to fostering the relationship to new heights. The Chinese Ambassador mentioned that the Chinese side is ready for collaboration in areas of agriculture, mines and minerals, and industrial cooperation on a priority basis.

During the meeting, both sides deliberated on advancing key projects, including the Karachi-Hyderabad section of Main Line-1 (ML-1) and the Karakoram Highway (Thakot-Raikot Section) project, and agreed to accelerate the projects’ timely execution. Both sides reaffirmed that China and Pakistan remain all-weather friends, committed to strengthening their historic partnership through continued collaboration and strategic engagement.

Regarding the Gwadar Port and Free Zone, both sides expressed a mutual commitment to ensuring the continued development of Gwadar in a holistic manner.