Pak, China discuss new US policy in Afghanistan and South Asia
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Monday discussed the new US policy in Afghanistan and South Asia and agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and closely work in various multilateral fora.
This was decided during the 8th Round of Strategic Dialogue between the two sides in Islamabad, where Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua led the Pakistani delegation, while the Chinese side was led by Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou.
The Foreign Office said both sides held comprehensive discussions on the entire spectrum of bilateral ties.
These included: the Belt and Road Initiative and specifically, China-pakistan Economic Corridor; bilateral trade; defence; counter-terrorism; culture and people-to-people exchanges.
“The two sides also agreed to further strengthen cooperation in all mutually relevant areas for the benefit of the two countries,” it said.
Janjua and Kong also exchanged views on issues including the situation in Afghanistan, the new US policy in South Asia and matters relating to the Korean Peninsula.
US President Donald Trump announced his Afghanistan and South Asia policy in August in which he had hit out at Pakistan for providing safe havens to “agents of chaos” that kill Americans in Afghanistan and warned Islamabad that it has “much to lose” by harbouring terrorists.
He also slammed Pakistan for its support to terror groups and warned Islamabad of consequences if it continues to do so.
China had defended its all-weather ally Pakistan, saying that Islamabad is at the frontline of combating terrorism.
China and Pakistan agreed to further augment cooperation in various multilateral fora including the UN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other multilateral organizations. ISLAMABAD: A coal-laden truck fell over a passenger van on Monday in Pakistan’s Sindh province, killing at least 25 people, days after 27 people died when a speeding bus fell into a ravine in Punjab province.
The accident took place near Theri bypass in Khairpur area of Sindh province. Police said that early morning thick fog and careless driving were the main reasons for the deadly accident, which also injured four others.
According to officials, the van was en route to Sukkur from Khairpur when the incident took place near Theri bypass.
All the passengers in the van were labourers, Express Tribune reported.
Police and rescue officials said the death toll could rise as the some injured were in serious condition.
The heavily loaded truck with coal lost control while overtaking and fell on the van, which was on its way to Sukkur from Ranipur in Sindh, police said.
Road accidents are common in Pakistan. Most of them are caused by careless driving, bad roads and faulty vehicles.
At least 59 people were killed while 18 others were injured when a passenger bus collided head-on with a truck on the same Theri bypass in 2014. On November 9, a speeding bus carrying over 100 passengers fell into a ravine killing at least 27 people and injuring 69 others in Punjab province. TOKYO: The US military has banned all its personnel deployed in Japan from drinking or buying alcohol after one of its servicemen was involved in a deadly crash on Okinawa island linked to drunken driving.
The accident took place on Sunday when 21-year old Marine Nicholas James-mclean, whose blood alcohol level was allegedly three times the legal limit, crashed his military vehicle into a small truck, killing the driver on the southern Japanese island.
In a statement on Monday, the US Forces, Japan, confirmed that one its service members had been involved in the accident and said that “alcohol may have been a factor”.
The military also announced “mandatory training to address responsible alcohol use, risk management and acceptable behaviour” for all its troops across Japan.