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    Editorial: The Wind of Change Blowing over Pakistan

    Written by: Dr. Dushka H. Saiyid
    Posted on: March 23, 2016 |

    The partnership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and General Raheel Shareef has steered the ship of Pakistan out of troubled waters, and established the fiat of the state over elements challenging its authority. With the stranglehold of a violent minority broken, a more enlightened and stable Pakistan is beginning to emerge from the dark clouds of obscurantism, mayhem and anarchy. Two gestures, one by the Prime Minister inviting Pope Francis to visit Pakistan, and the other a resolution by the National Assembly making Easter, Diwali and Holi as official holidays for minorities, have contributed towards this change. 

    However, it is the momentous and historic Punjab Women’s Protection Bill passed by the Punjab Assembly in February 2015 that will bring about a fundamental change in the status of half the population of Pakistan. This legislation criminalises all forms of violence against women, whether domestic, psychological or sexual, and calls for the establishment of shelters and toll-free reporting of abuse. According to the Aurat Foundation, in Punjab alone, there were 5800 cases of violence against women in 2013. The implementation of this legislation will be challenging, given the deep-rooted culture of patriarchy in our society, but the inevitable glitches can be ironed out over time.  

    In the last few years, Pakistani women seem to be breaking the sound barrier at the international level, whether it is Malala defying bullets for the right of education for girls, the women’s cricket team showing their male counterparts how to win a T20 match, Chinoy walking away with two Oscars, or Ayesha Farooq and her cohorts taking to the skies in fighter jets, guarding the frontiers of our sacred land.

    It is difficult to forget a black day in 2008 when a Senator defended the burying of women alive as part of their tradition. Calls to tradition and religion must not be used to cloak primeval urges to oppress and exploit the vulnerable sections of our society: women, children, minorities and the poor.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021