Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has proposed space-technology cooperation between Pakistan and China under the economic corridor project.
He made the proposal at the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) forum that was held this week at the Chinese city of Kramay in Xinjiang region. On his plea, the proposal was formally included in the historic Karmay’s declaration which was later unanimously adopted at the end of forum’s two-day deliberations.
In his brief address at the concluding session, Ahan Iqbal said bilateral cooperation in the field of space-technology would take the Pak-China relations to new heights. He emphasised that both the countries should launch joint space mission programme comprising their astronauts as “this is the strength of the CPEC to increase more connectivity between the two friendly countries. It will shape up the future destiny of both the nations through communication linkages,” the minister added.
Senate Defence Committee Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Senator Hasil Bizenjo, Senator Afrasiab Khattak, Senator Nuzhat Saddiq, Senator Nawabzada Saifullah Magsi, Minister for Planning and Development Balochistan Hamid Khan Achakzai, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masood Khalid and other high-ranking officials witnessed the signing ceremony.
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong also attended the forum and termed the meeting as highly successful in promoting understanding among the relevant stake-holders for implementing CPEC and to further deepening the Sino-Pak strategic partnership, particularly in the field of energy and communication.
DG FWO Major General Muhammad Afzal, Engineer-in-Chief FWO Khalid Asghar, Quartermaster General Major General Javed Mehmood Bukhari, DG NLC Major General Muhstaq Ahmed Faisal were also present on the occasion. It was decided that the forum would work as a permanent platform and meet annually to review the project in a broader prospect ensuring its implementation in letter and spirit.
