ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Wednesday agreed to establish health units and vocational educational institutes in Northern and Southern Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) so that the can be provided modern technical skills.

The agreement was made during a meeting held between Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi and Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing here at the Ministry of Interior.

Afridi requested the ambassador to consider his proposal to develop health and vocational training institutes in Northern and Southern Balochistan for which the Ministry of Interior will extend full support.

He said that it was Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision as Balochistan has long been ignored in human resource development and now the PTI government wanted to develop social sector projects for the people of Balochistan and KP.

The ambassador said that China is ready to constitute the projects according to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision and the Chinese embassy was also endeavouring to provide such facilities for the people of Balochistan and KP.

Afridi said that Pakistan would ensure provision of foolproof security to the Chinese diplomats and Chinese citizens working on various China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and all their concerns would be addressed and measures would be taken to accommodate their requirements.

Lauding the role of Ambassador Yao Jing for further cementing Pakistan-China bilateral relations, the interior minister said the commitment and hard work of the ambassador is a source of strength for Pakistan.

“After attack on the Chinese consulate at Karachi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and security forces have taken the security of Chinese nationals very seriously. Pakistan Army was fighting the biggest counterterrorism war on land but we have gone an extra yard and we have taken new security initiatives to secure Chinese. Officers have been conveyed in black and white that no complacency would be tolerated in this regard,” the minister said.

The PTI minister said Pakistan has 65 per cent of its population below 35 years of age and converting the youth into the skilled workforce is the biggest challenge for the PTI government. “The Chinese technical institutes being established in Pakistan would go an extra mile in our human resource development,” he added.

The minister said that South Balochistan is 32 per cent of Pakistan and it borders Iran and Afghanistan.

“CPEC major aim is to benefit neighbours. We need Chinese assistance in developing vocational training institutes in North and South Balochistan. Ministry of Interior would help this move,” he added.

Afridi said the Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) is a wonderful initiative and its Vocational Training Institute would do wonders to employ the youth of South KP as Kohat is the gateway for Southern KP.

Ambassador Yao Jing informed the minister that the embassy is looking for his support to finalise the agreement at earliest for the development of vocational institute at KUST.

He said that around 10,000 people of KP would be employed at first Special Economic Zone being established at Rashakai.

The ambassador expressed his gratitude to the interior minister on his efforts and initiatives taken to augment and strengthen the relationship between Pakistan and China.