KARACHI: The Confucius Institute at Karachi University (KU) is playing an important role in the promotion of Chinese language and culture which will help open new avenues to strengthen academic ties between the two brotherly nations, said Chinese Consul General in Karachi Ma Yaou on Wednesday.

He was speaking at a Chinese cultural programme organised by the institute at the HEJ auditorium in collaboration with the Chinese consulate general on the eve of the Chinese New Year.

The consul general said both China and Pakistan were time-tested friends and their bilateral relationship would further be strengthened by the economic corridor. “The corridor is a bright example of their strong relations,” he remarked.

Regarding the progress China has made over the past few years, he said the country achieved tremendous development in almost every sector of life and is poised to becoming the world’s biggest economy.

KU vice chancellor Prof Muhammad Qaiser said that shortly after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the two countries embarked on their diplomatic ties and ever since have maintained close and friendly relations in various fields like politics, economy as well as culture.

“A cultural cooperation agreement between the two countries was signed in 1965. The accord helped in bringing the two nations together,” he told the audience.

China-Pak cultural exchanges and cooperation have made headway and both countries routinely exchange cultural delegations, he said, adding that learning the Chinese language and culture is a dire need in today’s world.

China annually offers 65 scholarships to Pakistan while Pakistan annually offered six scholarships to China, he added.

12 admissions cancelled

Meanwhile, the KU has cancelled admissions of 12 students after the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi verified that their mark sheets were forged/tampered.

According to a press release the morning programme students (batch of 2016) whose admissions have been cancelled are: Anasuddin Ahmed (criminology); Syeda Farwa Batool Naqvi (criminology); Mirza Wajahat Baig (criminology); Mirza Mubashir Ahmed Baig (applied chemistry and chemical technology); Shafiulla (biochemistry); Niaz ul Haq (international relations); and Sana Rashid (statistics).

Evening programme students: Rabia Haroon Rasheed (Institute of Space Science & Planetary Astrophysics); Rehmat Ali (mathematics); Danish Baig (applied chemistry and chemical technology); Mohammad Faraz Khan (criminology); and Anas Tariq (public administration).

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2016