Sharif vows to crackdown on Islamic militants active in China

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured Chinese leadership that his country would crackdown on an Islamic militant group carrying out a separatist movement in China`s restive Xinjiang province.

Beijing: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday assured the Chinese leadership that his country would crackdown on an Islamic militant group carrying out a separatist movement in China`s restive Xinjiang province.

On his maiden foreign tour to China after taking over power in June, Sharif told his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang that his administration "regard East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) as our common threat and stand united in combating this menace." "Pakistan will continue to adhere to its one-China policy, oppose Taiwan and Tibet`s independence and support China`s efforts in combating the `Three Evils` of extremism, terrorism and separatism," said a joint statement issued after talks between both the leaders. The commitment followed China`s concerns over recurring violence in Uygur Muslim majority Xinjiang where 35 people including several policemen were killed in attacks by ETIM which is fighting for the separation. Chinese media recently highlighted that radicalised Uygur militants were being trained in camps in Pakistan before going to fight in Syria. One such militant was caught in Xinjiang last week. For its part "China vowed to continue extending its full support to Pakistan in the latter’s efforts to uphold its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," Pakistan`s state-run APP news agency quoted the statement as saying. On the defence ties, it said "They highly commended the China-Pakistan Defense and Security Consultations Mechanism, and will maintain the momentum of high-level visits between the armed forces of the two countries". The two countries will deepen cooperation in counter- terrorism personnel training, joint training, equipment and technology, and exchanges between military academies, and identify new areas for exchanges and cooperation. The two sides agreed to further enhance cooperation in defence technology and production, it said. On Afghanistan, the joint statement sounded vague saying "the evolving situation in Afghanistan has great implications for the regional security and stability. They emphasised that inclusive political reconciliation is a key step towards unity, peace and stability in Afghanistan". "The two sides reaffirmed their support for the `Afghan-owned and Afghan-led` peace and reconciliation process, and will work with the regional countries and the international community to help Afghanistan achieve peace, stability and security," it said. Sharif would travel to Shanghai tomorrow by high speed train and address a meeting of investors there. PTI