ISLAMABAD,  May 29 (INP): Pakistan’s first Chinese-funded law firm ZOAO LAW FIRM (ZOAO) has opened as it got the registration certificate from the Punjab Bar Council last week. According to Gwadar Pro, ZOAO aims to provide legal services to the Chinese who live, work and do businesses in Pakistan and the Pakistanis who already live in China or plan to do businesses in China. Cheng Deyong, ZOAO’s senior partner and legal representative said, “With the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), we expect frequent economic, trade and people-to-people exchanges will occur in the future.” Cheng added China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners. Pakistan not only responds proactively to the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), but also build CPEC, a flagship project of BRI, jointly with China. However, as the two sides have different political and legal systems, and culture, many people have difficulties in dealing with legal problems. They need badly legal professionals to help them in this regard, who master both the Chinese law and the Pakistani law and can serve them in three languages, namely, Chinese, English and Urdu. “ZOAO can provide the right service,” said Cheng. Cheng told Gwadar Pro, besides the Chinese lawyers, ZOAO will hire the Pakistani lawyers and legal experts. ZOAO will also cooperate with local law firms to provide professional services in commercial affairs, tax issues and litigation. In addition, ZOAO will establish a legal assistance center to help people in need, under the help of the Consulate General of PRC in Lahore. Cheng said, “As legal professionals, we would like to use the legal knowledge to make our contributions to the bilateral economic activities, CPEC and China-Pakistan friendship.”

INP/JAVED