Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Imran Khan has said Pakistan wants to emulate the Chinese model of development to ensure inclusive economic growth and lift the people out of poverty.
During an interaction with the Chinese media, the premier pointed out that China has taken out 700 million people out of poverty in the last three decades or so.
He said the world community also recognizes this achievement as it has not happened in human history.
“China is a model for all those countries which want an inclusive growth,” PM Imran said.
When asked about multibillion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, the prime minister said that the first phase was focused on connectivity and power generation projects.
He said the corridor project has now moved to the next phase of relocation of industries to Pakistan.
“We are developing special economic zones,” PM Imran said, adding that Pakistan also desires Chinese cooperation in technology as well as to enhance agriculture productivity.
Alluding to the rapid urbanization in Pakistan, Imran Khan said we also want to learn from Chinese experience as to how they have built their mega cities and coped with urban development.
“Both Pakistan and China enjoy mutually beneficial relationship spanning over seventy years,” PM Imran said, adding that is a deep relationship which has grown stronger with the passage of time.
He said that both the countries have always stood by each other in difficult times and CPEC has further linked the two countries.
On behalf of people of Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan also felicitated the Chinese people on their lunar new year.
He said he looks forward to his upcoming visit to China to witness the Winter Olympics.
Referring to the achievements of China in sports, he said Pakistan also looks forward to enhance collaboration with Beijing in this field as well.
About West’s so-called criticism of China over the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the prime minister said that Pakistan ambassador to China had visited the area and informed that such allegations were not true.
The prime minister said on the other hand, the West did not talk about the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) where the worst human rights violations had been committed by the Indian forces.
“There is selective silence over Kashmir,” he said, adding the IIOJK had been turned into an open prison by 800,000 Indian troops, and such a silence on Kashmir was deafening which was based upon double standards.
Responding a question regarding Afghan situation, Prime Minister Imran Khan urged the international community to think of the welfare of 40 million Afghan people which are faced with humanitarian crisis.
He warned against abandoning Afghanistan saying it will have disastrous consequences.