China is Pakistan's reliable partner in all spheres and the same can be said about Turkey. Whenever Pakistan faced a difficult time, both of them supported it wholeheartedly. Both the government and the people of Pakistan have great faith in both China and Turkiye. Wednesday was the 96th anniversary of the founding of China's Liberation Army, which was also celebrated in Pakistan.

 In this regard, the Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir was the chief guest in the ceremony held at GHQ Rawalpindi, while the Chinese diplomat and other officials also participated in the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, General Asim Munir said that Pakistan-China relations are unique and strong. Both of them proved their perseverance by facing all the challenges.

People's Liberation Army and Pakistan Army are brothers of each other and they will continue to play their role for the protection of collective affairs.

In his speech, the Chinese diplomat said that a cooperative partnership between China and Pakistan is indispensable in the times and in the international context.

The recent visit of the Pakistan Army Chief and other military officials to China has further boosted the relationship between the two countries' forces.

On the same day, the joining ceremony of PNS Tariq, a warship developed with the cooperation of Turkey, into the fleet of Pakistan Navy was held in Karachi.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in his address on this occasion also described the expansion of Pak-Turkey cooperation as the need of the hour and said that this is the fourth ship to be added to Pakistan's fleet, which was developed jointly by Pakistan and Turkey.

Its inclusion will further strengthen the strategic relationship between the two countries. He said that the two countries are connected in deep, historical and religious relations. Our heritage and culture are common. Both of them have common thoughts on various regional and international issues.

The prime minister mentioned the eternal friendship with China regarding CPEC and invited Turkey to join this agreement once again.

Turkish Vice President said in his speech that Pakistan and Turkey have supported each other in every difficulty and brotherly relations between the two countries are getting stronger day by day.

Pakistan's location is very important in South Asia and this region is the center of global attention. He described cross-border terrorism in Pakistan as dangerous for world peace and expressed his determination that Turkey will continue to cooperate to increase Pakistan's defense capability.

His determination is very important in the sense that Turkey is ahead of many Western countries in the development of defense industry and is exporting defense equipment to them.

He has also held regular talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in which consensus was reached on increasing cooperation in the fields of energy, IT, food security, trade, tourism and mining.

Agreements have been made with China under the CPEC to establish similar cooperation and economic zones, the implementation of which is promising to revive Pakistan's sinking economy.

The current coalition government has also made investment agreements with rich Arab countries, the fruits of which will be seen soon.

China is the mega investor in Pakistan and the government should not only look after the CPEC affairs but should also guarantee the safety of Chinese engineers and workers in Pakistan.

It is also a matter of concern that there is a rapid rise in attacks on Chinese nationals, mostly on those working on development projects in Pakistan, since the Dasu attack in July last which resulted in killings of as many as 14 people including nine Chinese engineers.

The patron of the attacks clearly shows that these attacks are aimed at harming the Pakistan-China relations and to discourage Chinese from working on development projects in Pakistan.

After Dasu attack, on July 16, two Chinese were attacked by  motorcyclists while on way to an industrial unit in the SITE area of Karachi, resulting in injuring of one of them.

The third attack took place  on August 20, at the Gwadar East Bay Expressway project in Balochistan, when a Chinese national was injured and two Pak chidden were killed  in an attack on motorcade carrying Chinese personnel was targeted by a suicide attacker. 

China is a time-tested friend and a major investor in Pakistan.

India and various militants including the Baloch separatists are against Chinese carrying development work in Pakistan.

As far as China is concerned, Pak traders advocate a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries on the lines of what we have with China and other countries to improve the volume of our bilateral trade.

Traders ask as to why both the states have failed to increase the volume of bilateral trade despite the fact that both enjoy a deep-rooted friendship and stand by one another in time of need.

Turkey is our trusted friend and the recent leadership-level exchanges between the two states are viewed as a symbol of the eternal bonds of between the two s states.

In fact, there is high potential in trade with Turkiye in the sectors of clothing and apparels, cotton fabrics, carpets, and home textiles, also the plastics products and foot-wears and plastic goods.

It may be recalled here that Turkiye is also the member of World Trade Organisation and is very much empowered to grant GSP-Plus status to our country. Since 2011, Pakistan is trying to pushing Turkey to do so but all in vain.

However, it is disturbing and lamentable that this friendly Muslim country has awarded investment incentives and duties concessions to a number of countries of the region except Pakistan.

And most importantly, both Turkiye and Pakistan are also active members of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).

Most importantly, Turkiye has always been supporting Pakistan during testing times at international fronts like the crucial FATF meetings, but the previous government failed to make efforts to translate this Turkish support into an easing of trade policy between the two states.