ISLAMABAD (MNN); Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the safety and security of Chinese nationals, declaring that their protection remains one of the government’s highest priorities as Islamabad continues to strengthen its strategic partnership with Beijing.
Addressing the Pakistan-China Pharmaceutical and Healthcare B2B Investment Conference in Islamabad, the prime minister said Pakistan would leave no stone unturned to provide Chinese citizens and investors with the highest level of security.
“I would like to state with full conviction that the security of our Chinese brothers and sisters in Pakistan is paramount for us. We will ensure the best possible protection for them,” PM Shehbaz said.
The conference witnessed the signing of several agreements between Pakistani and Chinese companies in the healthcare, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. According to the prime minister, the combined value of the agreements is nearly $440 million, marking another milestone in bilateral economic cooperation.
The prime minister’s remarks came amid enhanced security measures around Chinese-funded projects, particularly in Balochistan, following recent terrorist threats and attacks targeting infrastructure and supply routes linked to the China-run Saindak copper and gold mine.
PM Shehbaz noted that the newly signed agreements would soon be transformed into practical and implementable projects, describing them as an important step towards advancing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Phase-II.
“These agreements will not remain on paper. They will be translated into action and will further strengthen CPEC 2.0,” he said.
Recalling his recent visit to China, the prime minister described it as highly successful and reiterated that China has always stood by Pakistan during difficult times.
He said Beijing had consistently supported Pakistan’s economic development, backed its position at international forums and made historic investments under CPEC, where more than $30 billion had been invested in energy, infrastructure and development projects.
PM Shehbaz praised China’s remarkable economic progress and technological achievements, calling it one of the world’s leading economic and strategic powers.
“The world cannot move forward without China, and this extraordinary progress reflects the visionary leadership of President Xi Jinping,” he remarked.
He expressed confidence that cooperation in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors would boost the local production of life-saving medicines, vaccines, research and development, while opening new export opportunities for Pakistan to regional markets.
The prime minister said the investment conference reflected the growing strength of Pakistan-China relations and reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to expanding cooperation in emerging sectors beyond traditional infrastructure projects.
