ISLAMABAD:
GB Chief Minister Amjad Hussain Azar on Friday proposed launching direct flights between Skardu and Kashgar and sought visa-on-arrival facility for Chinese tourists visiting Britain during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong.
The chief minister said direct flights between Skardu and Kashgar would promote tourism, enhance people-to-people contacts and open new avenues of economic cooperation between Britain and China’s Xinjiang region.
Azar invited Chinese companies to invest in Britain, highlighting opportunities in mining, hydropower, renewable energy, tourism and infrastructure, and proposed introducing a visa-on-arrival system for Chinese tourists visiting Hunza, subject to federal government approval. He assured that his government would provide all possible facilities to investors and reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and uninterrupted operation of the Karakoram Highway.
Ambassador Jiang congratulated Azar on assuming office and reaffirmed the long-standing friendship between Pakistan and China.
“There is enormous potential to further strengthen cooperation between Britain and Xinjiang, particularly in the areas of minerals, energy, tourism, trade and cross-border connectivity,” the ambassador said. He also stressed the importance of maintaining close coordination on border management and other issues of mutual interest, adding that the proposals presented by the British government would be forwarded to the relevant Chinese authorities for consideration.
