By Zahid Shah

ISLAMABAD (TSAT) - China Foreign Minister Wang Yi who arrived on Monday for the 48th OIC foreign minister conference in Islamabad, also met with Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday.

According to an official statement, issued by the premier office, Khan and Wang discussed the regional and bilateral issues during the meeting. 

Khan warmly welcomed the State Councilor Wang Yi to Pakistan, and conveyed his heartfelt condolences on the loss of precious lives in a crash of China Eastern flight yesterday, it's said.

Wang also conveyed President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang's most cordial greetings and reaffirmed the centrality of the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

Currently, Pakistan facing political crisis emerged after the opposition parties submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Khan a few days ahead of the OIC foreign ministers meeting.

The opposition move was widely criticized on social media by Pakistani users called it an act to create uncertainty in the country ahead of a major OIC event. 

“The Prime Minister and State Councilor Wang discussed the current trajectory of bilateral ties, and the evolving regional and international scenario. The Prime Minister fondly recalled his recent visit to China for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics and his meetings with the Chinese leadership,” the statement read. 

Khan while talking about the multi-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) said that the ongoing second phase CPEC would reinforce Pakistan’s efforts for economic development with enhanced cooperation in areas such as industrial development, agriculture, and IT. 

He also welcomed Chinese investors to benefit from attractive opportunities in Pakistan. 

The two sides discussed the situation in Ukraine and reiterated the imperative need for an immediate cessation of hostilities and continued efforts for a solution through sustained dialogue and diplomacy, its said,

Prime Minister Imran Khan also briefed Wang on India’s egregious human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and its irresponsible behavior that is an impediment to regional peace and security. The Prime Minister also apprised about the so-called “accidental” firing of a missile from India into Pakistan’s territory and underlined Pakistan’s call for a joint probe, and stressed the need to ensure that it does not occur again, according to the statement.

Khan also emphasized that Pakistan and China must continue deeper engagement to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan and avert the humanitarian crisis there.

Earlier, Prime Minister Khan also meet with the Foreign Minister of Palestine, Dr. Riyad al-Maliki,  who thanked Pakistan for the unwavering support and principled position on Palestine.

Khan reiterated his country’s unequivocal support for the rights of the Palestinian people and their just struggle and said the Palestinian tragedy, which is a matter of great anguish for Pakistani people and Muslims all over the world, is at the heart of the turmoil in the Middle East. 

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.

Dr. Riyad al-Maliki underlined that the unresolved issues of the Muslim Ummah, such as Palestine and the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, were among the root causes of instability in the respective regions. 

He added that the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) were suffering grave atrocities and unabated repression for demanding their inalienable right to self-determination.