Interior Minister urges Chinese envoy to send back Pakistani students to universities in China
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has approved a new visa policy for the Chinese citizens working on various projects wherein the minimum duration of new visas for Chinese workers would be two years.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said the above while briefing the Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong about the new features of the visa regime approved by the federal cabinet for the Chinese workers during a meeting at the Ministry of Interior.
Under the new policy, the interior minister said that Chinese citizens will now be issued two-year work visas within 48 hours from the relevant missions.
“A separate visa category has been created for Chinese citizens under the China, Pakistan Economic Corridor. Special desks are being set up at airports to facilitate the Chinese citizens,” said the interior minister.
Sheikh Rasheed added that the visa facilities were being made exclusively for the Chinese citizens working on various projects including the CPEC projects. The meeting also discussed the bilateral cooperation between China and Pakistan.
Talks on the issues of mutual interest including Pakistan-China bilateral relations were also held.
Expressing happiness over the completion of 70 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong said that China is grateful for facilitating visas for Chinese citizens.
Chinese Ambassador said that the visa facilitation will further enhance trust and expansion in relations between the two countries. He said the CPEC-related projects will create new investment and employment opportunities in Pakistan.
Rasheed thanked the Chinese government for providing the Covid-19 vaccine to Pakistan. The ambassador remarked the Pakistani government has made very good arrangements to control the epidemic.
On the occasion, Rasheed urged the Chinese government to make arrangements for the return of Pakistani students enrolled in various Chinese universities who are now stranded in Pakistan.
He said Pakistani students risk losing their precious academic years due to the measures taken in wake of the pandemic.
The Chinese Ambassador acknowledged the issues faced by the Pakistani students and said the Chinese Embassy will make the utmost efforts for the return of Pakistani students to China as soon as possible.
“The everlasting friendship between Pakistan and China is based on mutual trust and confidence,” Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, adding that Pakistan is proud of its friendship with China.
He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a manifestation of the long-standing relationship between the two countries.
Ambassador Rong Nong said that Pakistan is China’s iron brother and is proud of its bilateral relations with Pakistan.
