Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday told the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries that the international community should fulfil its responsibility of ensuring an unconditional and immediate ceasefire leading to the establishment of an independent state of Palestine.

He made these remarks in his concluding remarks at the 23rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the member states of the SCO chaired by him.

“Let me say that we cannot ignore the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The international community bears the responsibility of ensuring an immediate and unconditional ceasefire leading to the establishment of the State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders with Al Quds as its capital,” PM Shehbaz was quoted as saying by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The prime minister said that the SCO meeting highlighted the member states’ commitment to a better and more sustainable future for future generations.

He congratulated Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on assuming the chairmanship of the Council and announced that the next CHG meeting would be held in Russia next year.

The prime minister also assured the Russian prime minister of Pakistan’s fullest support and reiterated unwavering commitment to SCO goals and objectives.

He urged the member states to prioritise the collaboration over the political differences and collaborate to address the shared challenges and work hand-in-hand to ensure that SCO remained the beacon of stability and development for the mutual benefit for the people in the region.

Before concluding the two-day meeting, he also thanked the participating countries for their commitment and support to ensure the smooth conduct of the meeting.

The event was attended by the leaders from the SCO member states including China’s Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Tajik Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Kyrgyzstan’s Chairman of Ministers’ Cabinet Zhaparov Akylbek, Trade Minister of Iran Seyyed Mohammad Atabek, and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Besides, Mongolia is participating in the summit as an Observer State being represented by Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai and Turkmenistan as a Special Guest represented by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Rashid Meredov.

Among other dignitaries attending the moot include SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming, Director of Executive Committee SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) Ruslan Mirzayev, Chairman of the Board of SCO Business Council Atif Ikram Shaikh and Chairman of the Council of SCO Interbank Union Marat Yelibayev.