Ambassador of China calls on the Prime Minister.

PM Shehbaz meets Chinese Ambassador, discuss regional situation & Pakistan’s peace efforts.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 23 (APP):Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday met with Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Jiang Zaidong, during a courtesy call paid on him, where the regional situation in the Middle East and Pakistan’s peace efforts also came under discussion.

The prime minister was assisted by Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives Dr. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar, SAPM Syed Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.

The prime minister conveyed his warm regards and greetings for President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. While expressing his satisfaction at the positive trajectory of Pakistan-China bilateral relations, the prime minister reaffirmed that Pakistan took great pride in its All-Weather Cooperative Strategic Partnership with China. He also spoke of his resolve to continue working closely with the Chinese leadership, to ensure that the relationship grows from strength to strength.

The Chinese Ambassador thanked the prime minister for receiving him and expressed China’s appreciation of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts for lasting peace in the region. He reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening its iron-clad ties with Pakistan and to take them to new heights, as envisioned by President Xi Jinping.

PM meets Pakistani Astronauts selected for human space mission, calls it historic milestone for nation

ISLAMABAD, Apr 23 (APP):Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday met Pakistani astronauts Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali, who have been selected for a human space mission, and described their participation in space research as a landmark achievement for the country and a matter of national pride.

Astronaut Attaché Hasnain Iftikhar from Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) was also present during the meeting held here at the Prime Minister’s Office, a news release said.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister expressed deep pleasure over meeting the young astronauts and termed their selection for space research a significant milestone for Pakistan. He said their journey represented a moment of pride not only for him but for the entire nation.

“I am confident that you are going to write a new chapter in Pakistan’s history,” the prime minister told the astronauts, appreciating their dedication and hard work that enabled them to reach this important stage.

The prime minister amid highlighting Pakistan-China cooperation in the space sector, said the astronauts’ mission through Chinese collaboration would further strengthen the longstanding brotherly ties between the two countries. He added that bilateral cooperation in space research reflected a shared commitment to exploring new frontiers and reaching greater scientific heights together.

Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong welcomed the prime minister’s remarks and described expanding cooperation between Pakistan and China in space research as encouraging and forward-looking.

The astronauts expressed gratitude for the opportunity and termed their participation in space research a unique honour and a source of pride for Pakistan. They reaffirmed their resolve to meet the nation’s expectations through dedication and hard work.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, and Chairman SPARCO Muhammad Yousaf Khan. Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong also participated in the meeting.

PM Shehbaz orders inquiry into inactive EWS, directs urgent Monsoon preparedness measures

ISLAMABAD, Apr 23 (APP):Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday ordered a high-level inquiry into the non-functional early warning system installed in Gilgit-Baltistan for protection against glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and directed all relevant institutions to accelerate coordinated preparations ahead of the upcoming monsoon season.

Chairing a review meeting on pre-monsoon preparedness and climate-related risks, the prime minister expressed strong displeasure over the continued inactivity of the early warning system despite clear directives issued last year. He warned that negligence and weak institutional performance would not be tolerated and emphasized that safeguarding citizens from environmental hazards remains a core responsibility of all departments, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.

The prime minister instructed federal ministries and provincial governments to remove bottlenecks hindering policy implementation and ensure full operationalization of digital monitoring infrastructure for early warning systems. He stressed that Pakistan ranks among the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts and called for emergency-level efforts to mitigate associated risks.

The prime minister also highlighted lessons from last year’s monsoon season, and noted that illegal encroachments along river routes and flood channels had contributed significantly to damages. He directed authorities to adopt an effective preventive strategy this year to address the issue before the onset of heavy rains.
He further instructed all institutions to enhance operational capacity and mobilize resources beyond routine limits to protect lives and property during potential flooding. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, and the Ministry of Planning and Development were specifically directed to work closely with provinces to ensure coordinated and result-oriented implementation of preparedness measures.

During the meeting, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), WAPDA, and the Ministry of Climate Change briefed the prime minister on progress made in line with earlier directives. Senior federal ministers, advisers, provincial chief secretaries, and top officials from relevant departments attended the session.