RAWALPINDI: Convener for the Parliamentary Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Romina Khurshid Alam said Pakistan’s commitment to achieve the SDGs will be fulfilled at all costs.

She said the SDGs secretariat will take lead in learning from China to address multiple challenges being faced by Pakistan, especially poverty alleviation, economic development and climate change events.

She was speaking at the launch of the ‘Understanding China Fellowship Programme’ under the auspices of Asian Institute of Eco-civilisation Research and Development (AIERD) in collaboration with Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University here on Friday.

She pledged that the government was playing its role to cement Pakistan-China ties and the current parliament was focusing on how to gear up industrial development in the country which was linked to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

She said the government was taking confidence-building measures, therefore, the concept of building a China-Pakistan community of shared destiny had once again echoed in both the countries.

Zahid Latif, Chairman AIERD, said it will continue to strengthen relations between China and Pakistan through introducing academic programmes like ‘Understanding China Fellowship’ for the youth especially students of higher learning institutions.

Dr Azam Khan, a professor at the university, talked about the salient features of the programme and said the participants of the programme will be imparted education and training on Chinese model of growth and development, and the current Chinese leaderships’ concept of shared democracy.

He hoped that after learning through national and international scholars, the participants of the programme will suggest a way forward to our policymakers on how to achieve the path of development and sustainability in these crucial and sensitive times.

Shakeel Ahmed Ramay, Chief Executive Officer AIERD, said to make relationship between China and Pakistan fruitful and sustainable, it was necessary to instill the spirit of brotherhood and friendship in the next generation and this programme was a first step in this regard.

He said under the programme Pakistani youth will be made aware of how China had developed its economy, agriculture technology, industry, trade, infrastructure from scratch after Green Revolution in 1949.

He said the programme will acquaint the participants with the Chinese success stories and how Pakistan can benefit from it.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2023