BEIJING: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed his commitment to transforming Pakistan into a great nation by emulating the Chinese development model, emphasizing the importance of hard work and focusing on industrial and agricultural advancement.
Addressing the 4th Pakistan-China Friendship and Business Reception in Beijing, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated, “By adopting the Chinese model, I am confident Pakistan will reclaim its standing in the global community and earn the respect our Chinese brothers enjoy from both allies and adversaries. We will adhere to your model, work tirelessly, give our all, and make Pakistan a great nation.”
Addressing a gathering of Pakistani and Chinese business leaders, Shehbaz emphasized that Pakistan would adopt Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision, concentrating on progress and prosperity while steering clear of conflicts. He highlighted China’s remarkable advancements and significant projects such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the Global Development Initiative (GDI), and the Global Security Initiative (GSI).
The prime minister, who is in China on a five-day official visit, advised the Pakistani people against being dejected or losing hope rather than standing up and accepting the challenge to reach the level of Chinese progress within a few years or decades.
He said the China-Pakistan friendship had no parallel, noting that it remained unshakeable and unreachable even during the storms, wars, and earthquakes.
Recalling the Chinese journey of swift development to become the second biggest economic and military power under President Xi’s vision, PM Shehbaz said it was achieved only through hard work and untiring efforts.
“All Pakistanis will also have to pass through this thorny process. There is no other way to earn respect in the world,” he remarked.
He said having come into being two years after Pakistan, China took its trade to trillions of dollars while Pakisan’s hovered around $30-40 billion in terms of exports.
Besides, China has excelled in information technology and artificial intelligence. He also referred to the “wonderful” bilateral cooperation in space programmes as Pakistan recently sent a lunar satellite and a space satellite recently with Chinese collaboration.
Referring to the sad and gruesome attack by banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in which five Chinese workers were killed in Becham in April, the premier condemned the incident and conveyed his deepest condolence to the families of those who were killed.
He said the incident, which sent a shockwave across Pakistan, was the nefarious plot of enemies of China-Pakistan friendship and CPEC as well as those who did not want to see bilateral ties rising to the apex of glory.
“I want to make a solemn pledge that we will do everything humanly possible to safeguard the lives of every Chinese citizen in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, KP, GB, and AJK. I commit that the security of Chinese nationals will be prioritized even more than my own and that of my children,” Shehbaz Sharif assured.
