Pakistani PM to visit China

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is visiting China from Friday during which he is scheduled to sign projects worth $35-40 billion.

After the two-day visit, Sharif will make brief trips to Germany and Britain, Dawn online reported.

Mussadiq Malik, the newly-appointed spokesperson for the prime minister, said the visits were aimed at rebuilding investor confidence that is visibly shaken by the ongoing political crisis in the country.

"Whatever investment the Chinese will be making as a result of these projects will not be a loan to the government of Pakistan," Malik said.

The Chinese have agreed to provide this money directly to the companies, he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was due to visit Pakistan in September, but he called off his trip due to political protests in Islamabad.

The projects to be signed include 14 deals exclusively aimed at the production of a total of 10,400 MWs of electricity in the coming years, infrastructure development, laying new railway lines and reconstruction of roads.