ISLAMABAD, JUL 19 (DNA) – Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong and Advisor to Prime Minister on National History and Literary Heritage Irfan Siddiqui signed the Implementation Agreement of Chandelier Maintenance Project at Mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Islamabad.
Ambassador Sun Weidong said that the Chandelier was presented by Government of China in 1970s. It is the only gift presented by a foreign country at the Mausoleum and has become the historical witness and important icon of the China-Pakistan friendship.
He stressed that Government of China agreed to provide free assistance to renew the Chandelier at the request of Government of Pakistan, which will make China-Pakistan friendship initiated by our former leaders be further developed and rejuvenated.
He said that currently, with joint efforts of both sides, China-Pakistan relations have maintained sound momentum of growth and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is under smooth implementation, which will deliver benefits to both countries and peoples. The Chandelier bears testimony to the China-Pakistan friendship and will serve as a beacon to guide the direction of China-Pakistan relations in future.
Expressing high appreciation for the free assistance of the Chinese side to implement the Chandelier Maintenance Project, Mr. Irfan Siddiqui stressed that it show the valuable sentiments of Government and people of China to Pakistan, the Pakistani People and Founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and reflected the unique relations between our two brotherly countries.
He believed that with the passing of time, China-Pakistan relations will become increasingly stronger and more deep-rooted. Pakistan looked forward to working with the Chinese side to further move forward the all-weather friendship and promote the CPEC with more progress.
In 2012, at the request of the Pakistani government, the Chinese government agreed to help implement the Chandelier Maintenance Project. In 2015, the visiting Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan Sardar Ayaz Sadiq witnessed Letter of Exchange on the Project of Approval.
The project will include survey and data collection at the Mausoleum as well as making replica and renewal of the current Chandelier. The new Chandelier will be manufactured in China and shipped to Pakistan for installation.=DNA
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