China hands over 505 vehicles as aid to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: China, on Thursday, handed over free assistance of 505 vehicles, including 425 pickups and 80 ambulances, in addition to office equipment to Pakistan. China signed an agreement to provide the free assistance to Pakistan during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Pakistan in April last year.

The handover ceremony was held at the Finance Ministry building in Pakistani capital of Islamabad, which was attended by Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong and officials from the both sides. Pakistan’s Secretary of the Economic Affairs Division Tariq Bajwa and Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong signed the handover documents.

Later, the Chinese ambassador handed over a symbolic key of vehicles to the Pakistani finance minister.On the occasion, the Chinese ambassador said, “We hope that the free assistance could support Pakistan for strengthening the capacity building and also for governmental usage. We will always support each other as close partners and dear brothers, and we hope that our friendship and relations will further strengthen in the days to come. “

“This year is the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Pak diplomatic relations, and it should also be the year of implementation for all the consensuses that we have reached during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan last year. Today’s (Thursday’s) ceremony is part of our efforts to implement our consensus,” said Sun.

Expressing thanks to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese people for the aid, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said, “This is the friendship gift from China for Pakistan. We are always obliged and we cherished friendship with China.”

According to the finance minister, all the vehicles and equipment have already reached Pakistan, and these will be distributed to different governmental departments across Pakistan,  including four provinces—Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan— and Capital Territory of Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan,  northwest tribal areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.