Nawaz Sharif visits shrine of Hazrat Saad ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) in China's Guangzhou

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif Thursday visited the shrine of Hazrat Saad ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) in Guangzhou, the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China.

The former prime minister, who is on a week-long personal trip to China, offered Fateha at the holy resting place of Sahabi-e-Rasul Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (PBUH). Hazrat Saad ibn Abi Waqqas (RA), was among the first Arab Muslims who spread Islam in China in the early Tang Dynasty.

Sharif arrived in China on Wednesday (April 24) along with his grandson Junaid Safdar and five others. This is the former three-time premier's first foreign visit since his return from the four-year-long self-imposed exile in London.

Sharif departed on Chinese Airline Flight CZ-6038 on Monday. Although the visit has no official business, well-placed sources told The News that the visit could prove productive with regard to the establishment of Nawaz Sharif IT-City in Lahore, a brainchild of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Several Chinese companies have shown interest in investing in the Nawaz Sharif IT City, believed to be set up within a year. The sources also said that Sharif would try to revive his contacts with the Chinese ruling party’s leaders and big business houses.

Diplomatic sources said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and CM Maryam are also expected to visit China in June this year.