ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s unconditional support and commitment to counter common challenges and realise the shared dreams of peace, prosperity, stability, and enhanced connectivity in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) region.
Addressing the 23rd meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State through video link, the prime minister asked the SCO countries to take actions both in their national as well as collective responsibility to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism.
He said that terrorism and extremism whether committed by individuals, societies or states must be fought with full vigour and conviction. Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including state terrorism must be condemned in clear and unambiguous terms, he added.
The prime minister further said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) can be a game changer for connectivity, stability, peace, and prosperity in the entire region and Pakistan’s strategic location serves as a natural bridge connecting Europe and Central Asia with China, South Asia, and the Middle East.
Special economic zones (SEZs), he said being set up under the CPEC framework have direct access to Pakistan’s ports which can serve as convenient conduits for regional trade promotion. He maintained that Pakistan plans to host the SCO conference on Transport Connectivity for Regional Prosperity in the last quarter of the current year.
Emphasizing investing in connectivity projects, the prime minister said building efficient transport corridors and reliable supply chains are crucial elements to achieve the shared vision of an economically integrated region.
The prime minister said that the SCO stands for observance of the UN principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and people’s right to self-determination. “We must ensure these universally recognized principles within the SCO borders for friendly relations among the nations”, he added.
Shehbaz Sharif maintained that the UN Security Council resolutions offer us a workable framework for the resolution of some longstanding disputes in the region.
The prime minister said fundamental rights and freedoms must be guaranteed to all including those under occupation. He said peace and communal harmony should replace violent ultra-nationalism and xenophobic ideologies, especially Islamophobia. He said we should resolutely oppose divisive policies based on prejudice and discrimination. There should be no place for wilful provocations and incitement to hatred especially on religious grounds.
Highlighting the significance of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan to unlock the true economic potential of the SCO region, the prime minister said the international community should meaningfully engage with the interim Afghanistan government. He said concrete measures should also be taken by the interim Afghanistan government to ensure that its soil is not used for terrorism by any entity.
Referring to the threat posed by climate change to humanity’s survival, the prime minister urged the developed world to deliver on their assurances and provide enhanced support to developing countries in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change. He said climate change demands global solidarity and a global response. It is time to act and we must act now and immediately.
The prime minister also stressed greater collaboration for poverty alleviation. He said the special working group on poverty alleviation proposed by Pakistan has become operational, expressing the confidence that it will provide an impetus to our collective efforts to eliminate poverty and improve the living standards of the people.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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