A new perspective: Why Pakistan should also look East

My recent China trip was a journey of discovery. In this blog, I’ll share how China’s landscapes, people, and modern lifestyle amazed me. From vibrant cities to peaceful landscapes, every moment showed me something new about this fascinating country.

I arrived in Shanghai, a city that can truly be called the Generation Z of world cities, boasting mesmerizing architecture, bustling streets and remarkable cleanliness. The city’s skyline is filled with dazzling and towering skyscrapers that transform every night, as if some kind of fireworks display is taking place. As far as food is concerned, all varieties are available, with a vast number of Halal food outlets as well.



Shanghai, the ‘Pearl of the Orient,’ embodies international culture, blending Chinese and global influences seamlessly. As a globalized city, it attracts people from diverse backgrounds. The Pakistani diaspora thrives here, embracing opportunities.

During my visit, I met with Pakistanis in Shanghai, including Azfar Hussain Kazmi, a young entrepreneur who founded Shanghai Upper Spring Environmental Protection Co. Kazmi, an engineer from Gilgit-Baltistan, capitalized on China’s growth in 2016, leaving his UK career to start an environmental solutions company and thriving trading business. His company has invested in crucial water desalination projects in Gwadar, Ormara, and Karachi.

Later the day, for dinner, we visited Hameem, a recently launched Pakistani restaurant in the bustling city centre of Xujiahui, serving authentic cuisine to locals and internationals, bridging cultural gaps between China and Pakistan. As a Pakistani, I was consistently met with respect and warmth whenever locals discovered my nationality. From airports to markets and campuses, I received hospitality that transcended social status and personal identity.

Few Pakistanis who have been living in China for years, whom I met during my visit, shared similar stories of locals extending respect and warmth to Pakistanis. “Lot of times, when the locals came to know that I am Pakistani, they would instantly say ‘iron brother’ in Chinese. On multiple occasions, I even got discounts at stores when the locals found out that I am from Pakistan,” said Dr Salman Ali Khan, a friend who has been living in Shanghai for the last four years and recently completed his PhD in International Relations (IR) from Shanghai’s Fudan University, describing the warmth Pakistanis receive from locals.

At airports, I sought help from common Chinese people and officials alike, and they went out of their way to assist me. One particular incident at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport left a beautiful impression. I asked a local girl for directions to the exit, and she provided exceptional assistance.

Due to a slight language barrier, she then made a video call to confirm the desired exit gate, where she would escort me for pickup. She walked me to the exit, offered to carry my luggage, and waited with me until my host arrived, ensuring a smooth meeting. While many Pakistani tourists and those from other regional countries flock to Western tourist destinations or Gulf countries, they often overlook one of the best global tourist spots in their own backyard: Shanghai.

This city represents epic modernity, making visitors feel like they have leaped a decade into the future. Contrary to popular misperceptions about China’s restrictions, I experienced almost none during my visit. On my flight from Islamabad to Guangzhou and then onward to Shanghai, a Pakistani businessman from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who has been doing business in China for years, was seated next to me.

Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian come face to face for Hollywood role We personally experienced the speed, reaching 310 kilometers per hour. Despite traveling at such high speed, the train’s interior remained remarkably calm, making it feel more like flying than riding a train. Pakistan’s closest ally on multiple fronts and the world’s second-largest economy, China, is located right in our backyard, yet the country’s ruling elite seems more desperate to engage with the Western world on matters where China could be a more beneficial partner.

A Pakistani friend, affiliated with a prominent Western think tank, astutely observed that a shift in priority towards China would occur if the ruling Pakistani elite began sending their children to study in China and subsequently settling there. The combined GDP of the two provinces, Guangdong and Zhejiang, and Shanghai I visited was approximately $3.864 trillion in 2024.

Beyond government-to-government investments, Pakistan and China should focus on fostering mutual private sector investments. By encouraging businesses from both countries to invest in each other’s markets, they can deepen economic ties, drive growth, and explore new opportunities for collaboration and development. Tom Hardy opens about undergoing intense training for ‘Havoc’ IHSANULLAH TIPU MEHSUD The writer is an Islamabad based journalist and security affairs analyst.

He rightly described Shanghai as the “Jewel of China” and further exclaimed in Pashto, “Da Shanghai hara Zila Dubai da” (Every district of Shanghai is like Dubai). “Interestingly, there’s even a mobile app for over-drunk drivers,” Asad Babar from Sargodha, Pakistan who has completed PhD in public policy from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and is now settled in Shanghai for business, said with a chuckle. After spending five days in Shanghai, Salman and I embarked on a journey to explore Hangzhou, the capital city of China’s Zhejiang province, aboard one of China’s fastest high-speed trains.

Our own journey on the CR400 model felt like leaping into the future. Tags: a perspective pakistan east.