SCO Summit: Peace and Prosperity

ISLAMABAD (Nama Kanda Special, Monitor Tak One, Eknian) Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif emphasized the shared responsibility of all member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in ensuring sustainable peace. He highlighted the need to combat all forms of terrorism, including state terrorism, with unwavering determination. In today’s interconnected global economy, connectivity plays a crucial role, and promoting it can lead to economic stability. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has the potential to bring about economic prosperity, peace, and stability as a game changer. Developed nations should assist developing countries in dealing with the effects of climate change. Pakistan will host this year’s Alice CO meeting on communication management. These remarks were made by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif during his address at the 23rd Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which was held online and attended by heads of member states via video link. In his speech, Shahbaz Sharif extended congratulations to Kyrgyzstan on its membership in the organization and welcomed Iran’s inclusion with President Ibrahim Raisi becoming a full member. He also supported the decision to grant full membership to Belarus in the next session. Recognizing the world’s economic and security challenges, the Prime Minister called for the SCO to enhance its role in promoting peace, stability, security, and development. Investments in transport corridors are necessary for the entire region to achieve economic stability. Pakistan’s unique geographical position and initiatives like CPEC and the Belt and Road project can greatly contribute to economic prosperity, peace, and stability. The SCO member states should join forces to combat terrorism, condemning all forms of terrorism, including state terrorism, without engaging in diplomatic point-scoring. The Prime Minister strongly condemned the killing of innocent people through state terrorism and the targeting of religious minorities for political gain. He emphasized the need for collective action by SCO member countries to eradicate terrorism and extremism. Pakistan has made significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, and the international community must step forward to assist Afghanistan. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan is crucial for economic stability in the region and aligns with the SCO’s objectives. The SC-Afghanistan Liaison Group plays a crucial role, and a global forum is needed to address global challenges. Joint measures are necessary to mitigate the effects of climate change, as Pakistan has been severely affected, resulting in loss of life and significant economic damage. The Prime Minister highlighted the global problem of rising energy and food prices, stressing the importance of international cooperation to alleviate poverty. During the SCO meeting, 14 consensus documents were approved, including strategies to counter radicalization leading to terrorism, extremism, and separatism, as well as cooperation in digital transformation. Additionally, two joint statements on the economic development strategy of the SCO were approved. In Islamabad (Khalid Mahmood Al Kanian), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the observance of Holy Qur’an Day on Friday, July 7, and a nationwide protest against the desecration of the Holy Qur’an in Sweden. In a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, it was decided to convene a joint session of Parliament on Thursday to address the incident in Sweden. The Prime Minister instructed the formulation of a national action plan in the joint session to express the sentiments of the nation. A joint resolution will be passed during this session. Protest rallies will be held nationwide on Friday to condemn the incident in Sweden, and the Prime Minister called on all parties and the entire nation to participate, united in their message against those who disrespect the Holy Qur’an. The Prime Minister also instructed the president of the Muslim League (N) to celebrate Quran Day on Friday, actively participate in the protest, and organize protest rallies. Emphasizing that the respect and sanctity of the Holy Qur’an are integral to their faith, he condemned the nefarious agenda of spreading Islamophobia and urged nations and leaders not to yield to such forces and prejudices. Those who target religion, holy figures, beliefs, and ideas pose a threat to global peace. The Prime Minister called on forces promoting peaceful, balanced, and interfaith harmony at the global level to collaborate in countering such trends and incidents. In the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif stressed the importance of quality and transparency in development projects. He urged expediting the progress of public infrastructure projects across the country and prioritizing projects for youth development and women’s empowerment. Public welfare projects and the development of underprivileged areas should be given priority in development initiatives. The Prime Minister also called for swift action on agricultural sector development and the solarization of tube wells. Federal Trade Minister Naveed Qamar and former Member of the National Assembly Raja Javed Ikhlas also held meetings with the Prime Minister.