And while on China, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Pakistan next week to deepen economic and strategic ties between the two all-weather allies, a senior official said today.

Xi was to visit Pakistan last year during his South Asia trip to India, Sri Lankan and the Maldives but postponed it due to political unrest in the country with opposition leader Imran Khan staging a protest in Islamabad for alleged rigging in 2013 polls that were won by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

A government official said that the Chinese leader would be in Pakistan around April 10. "He would hold high-level meetings and unveil several economic projects," the official said. Xi is also expected to address the joint session of the Parliament, the official said.