ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday said Pakistan believes that Muslims in China enjoy religious freedom and their fundamental rights are well protected.
“We do not think anyone is stopping Muslims from fasting in China. This is just propaganda that Muslims in Xinjiang and other parts of the country are not able to practice religion with liberty and being stopped from fasting too,” Alvi said in an interview with a radio channel.
The president further said that Pakistan is impressed by the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping. He is a visionary leader who attaches high importance to the basic rights of the common man, he added.
About Chinese citizens arrested in Pakistan, the president said such incidents make no difference to Pakistan-China friendship as Pakistan and China both want to finish criminals. Therefore Pakistan’s reaction to such criminals isn’t against the mutual benefits of both the countries.
China’s friendship is very good both economically and socially, he remarked.
The president also praised China’s growth and development in the reign of president Xi Jin Ping. Presently China’s accumulative growth’s 38% and it is due to the digital economy.
Replying to a question, Dr Arif Alvi said, there is no debate going on to have a presidential system in the country. Pakistan’s parliamentary system is very strong and presidential system if comes can give birth too many new problems and issues.
The rights given to provinces under 18th amendment cannot be taken back and Pakistan is used to this system now. We can discuss the presidential system but cannot implement it in Pakistan, he added.
About inflation and the price hike in Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi said as Pakistan had a lot of debt and this government wishes to finish all the debt as soon as possible without keeping dollar stable with artificial measures so this time is hard for a while for a better and stable economy without any debts.
It’s time to return all the debt to have better economic progress and our friendly countries especially China, Saudi Arabia, and UAE have been a great support in this regard.