ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s foreign ministry says Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first visit to the country has been postponed over the mass anti-government demonstrations shaking its capital, Islamabad.

Protesters have been demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif step down over allegations of fraud in last year’s election.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry issued a statement Saturday saying Beijing and Islamabad “mutually agreed” to postpone the visit, which was to take place later this month.

It said new dates for the visit were being discussed.

Sharif has said postponing the Chinese leader’s visit would be a great loss as he was hoping for $34 billion in Chinese investment in the coming years.

The visit had been in doubt since Friday, when Sharif’s Twitter account posted a message saying the visit had been canceled.

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