February 25, 2008	Monday	Safar 17, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 24: China is looking forward to a visit by the co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, Asif Ali Zardari, at his earliest convenience.

This desire was conveyed to the PPP’s Sindh chapter secretary-general, Nafees Siddiqui, by Chinese Consul-General Chen Shanmin when he called on Mr Siddiqui on Saturday amid rapidly evolving political and diplomatic efforts for a stable democratic dispensation in Pakistan.

Mr Siddiqui said that the Chinese diplomat conveyed to him this desire to strengthen the time-tested relationship with Pakistan, which was originally crafted by the founder of the Pakistan People’s Party, late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The PPP leader also briefed the Chinese diplomat on the PPP’s efforts for a broad-based government of national consensus in the country as well as in Sindh. He said that the PPP was willing to take everyone onboard in the larger interest of the country and the province but the party’s concerns about certain electoral irregularities could not be ignored.

On Friday, the new British Deputy High Commissioner, Robert W. Gibson, had also met Mr Siddiqui along with the deputy head of the mission, Simon Williams, and Mr Sharyar of the political section.

In that meeting, the evolving political situation and scramble for power came under discussion. Mr Siddiqui said that he had informed the British diplomats that the intensive dialogue PPP’s co-chairman was having with the leaders of other political parties were aimed at paving the way for a new kind of a social contract through a debate in the parliament and carrying along everyone.