Celina Ali
Islamabad: Pakistan thus week called for a more facilitative visa regime with China to accelerate people-to-people exchanges, underscoring that closer human connectivity is essential to unlocking the full potential of the countries’ expanding strategic and economic partnership anchored by the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The proposal was raised by Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, during a meeting with Ling Zhifeng on the sidelines of meetings at the United Nations headquarters, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation across security, economic and people-centric sectors.
According to state media, Naqvi emphasized that stronger people-to-people contacts remain one of the most important pillars of Pakistan-China relations and stressed the need for an easier and more efficient visa regime to facilitate tourism, business travel, educational exchanges and cultural interaction between the two neighboring countries.
The initiative comes as Islamabad and Beijing continue to broaden cooperation beyond infrastructure and energy under CPEC, the flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past decade, CPEC has transformed Pakistan’s infrastructure landscape through investments in highways, power generation, logistics networks and the development of the strategically important Gwadar Port, making China Pakistan’s largest trading partner and one of its biggest foreign investors.
Pakistan has already introduced visa-free entry for Chinese business travelers to facilitate investment and commercial activity, reflecting Islamabad’s efforts to create a more business-friendly environment for Chinese enterprises operating in the country. China has also simplified visa application procedures for Pakistani citizens, although regular passport holders continue to require visas for travel.
During the meeting, the two sides reiterated their shared resolve to further elevate the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership by expanding collaboration on counterterrorism, internal security, border management, combating illegal immigration and counter-narcotics initiatives.
Security of Chinese nationals working on CPEC and other development projects also featured prominently in the discussions. Pakistan reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety of Chinese personnel amid persistent security threats posed by militant groups targeting Chinese interests, particularly in Balochistan.
Naqvi informed the Chinese delegation that Pakistan has established a dedicated Special Protection Police Force tasked with safeguarding Chinese nationals and strategic development projects, describing enhanced security cooperation as vital for the continued success of CPEC and broader bilateral collaboration.
Officials from both countries expressed confidence that stronger institutional coordination, combined with greater ease of travel, would further reinforce economic integration, encourage investment, expand educational partnerships and bring the peoples of Pakistan and China closer together.
