Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi landed in China for a very important strategic level discussions with Chinese Counterpart. During the visit he was accompanied by a team of diplomats including foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood, which shows the importance of visits.
Qureshi’s visit to Beijing comes at a time he has been under attack in Islamabad, both from within and without the Imran Khan government, for his broadside at Saudi Arabia for not convening the Organisation of Islamic Conference, or OIC meeting of foreign ministers on Kashmir.People familiar with the development in New Delhi said China has been pushing Pakistan to play a lead role in the OIC with support of Turkey and Malaysia.
Infact the visit was undertaken against the backdrop of a host of regional developments suggesting new alignments with China increasingly taking the lead in shaping the dynamics.It is believed that certain Pakistani friends in the Arab world are pushing Islamabad to distance itself from China and forge closer ties with the US and its allies.But Prime Minister Imran Khan in a recent television interview made it clear that Pakistan considered China a long-term strategic and economic partner.
The joint statement suggests that Pakistan is not ready to compromise on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and would continue to pursue its flagship programme—CPEC—irrespective of the pressure being exerted by certain international players. Pakistan was also pressurized by Saudi Arabia to role back CPEC and limit her ties with China.
The visit of Shah Mehmood Qureshi to China came at a very crucial time because Pakistan has given a clear message to Saudi Arabia that it can never leave China to appease Saudi monarchy. It has another significance and that is rather than replacing Shah Mehmood Qureshi as per Saudi demand, Imran Khan sent him China to show that Pakistan is not going to change his foreign minister on their instructions.
This visit was indeed of a great significance that carried number of messages for the Saudia and India as well.