Nawaz Sharif leaves for China on five-day personal visit

Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim Leaguenawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif left for China on a five-day personal visit.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is accompanying Nawaz Sharif on a visit to China, which happens to be his first international visit since his return from the four-yearlong self-imposed exile in London in 2023.

The former prime minister departed for China on Chinese Airline Flight CZ-6038.

According to media reports, Nawaz Sharif would hold meetings related to the development works of the Punjab province and will also meet the owners of Chinese companies. He will also undergo a medical checkup during his stay in China.

Moreover, the selection of China for his first foreign visit after his return to Pakistan in October last also signifies the importance Nawaz and his party attaches to the ‘iron-brother.’

Earlier, it was reported that 16 Chinese companies had shown interest in the Nawaz Sharif IT City – a brainchild of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz who has envisaged similar projects in all the major cities of the province – while eight others are ready to work immediately. Interestingly, the elder Sharif’s China visit comes before the planned visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who is expected to hold talks with the Chinese leadership next month.

At the same time, Dar accompanying Nawaz shows how much trust he enjoys by the party leadership and highlights the reason for his appointment as foreign minister. It is to be recalled that in November 2019, a high court granted permission to the PML-N leader to travel overseas for medical reasons, following reports from his doctors indicating that he required immediate attention.