Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) virtual summit hosted by India on Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed on the importance of countering terrorism and emphasized that minorities should not be discriminated against for political gains.
“SCO member states have a shared interest in ensuring peace and stability in the region, which is a precondition for economic development anywhere in the world,” he said.
“The Hydra-headed monster of terrorism and extremism — whether committed by individuals, societies or states — must be fought by full vigor and conviction. Any temptation to use it as a cudgel for diplomatic point-scoring must be avoided under all circumstances,” he said.
“Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including state terrorism, must be condemned in clear and unambiguous terms. There can be no justification for the killing of innocent people regardless of the cause or pretext.”
He emphasized that religious minorities should not be demonised in the “pursuit of domestic political agendas”.
Shehbaz noted that while the sacrifices made by Pakistan in fighting the scourge of terrorism were without a parallel, the phenomenon continued to plague the region and was a “serious obstacle” to peace and stability.
“In this era of global geopolitical flux, the SCO has acquired added significance as a beacon of stability, security, peace and progress. The fundamental values of Shanghai spirit are more relevant now than ever before,” said Shehbaz at the outset of his speech. “Connectivity has become a defining feature of the modern global economy and is rightly hailed as a vehicle for peace and prosperity,” he added, stressing on the importance of the SCO summit.
Shehbaz, who was invited to attend the summit on the Indian premier’s invitation, began his address thanking the virtual host, India, for its stewardship of the organisation over the past year and welcoming new members, including Iran and Belarus. He also congratulated Kazakhstan as it takesover chairmanship for the next year.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said earlier that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) should join hands to fight terrorism and not hesitate to condemn countries that support terror.
Modi also urged leaders of the Eurasian political and security grouping to work for the welfare of Afghanistan and provide humanitarian aid to Kabul.
Afghan soil, Modi told the virtual summit of SCO leaders, should not be allowed to be used to destabilise its neighbourhood.
India is the current president of the SCO, which comprises Russia, China, Pakistan and key Central Asian states. It assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO at the Samarkand Summit on September 16, 2022.
The participation of PM Shehbaz in the CHS reflects the high importance that Pakistan attributes to the SCO, the PM Office said. The SCO is viewed as a crucial forum for regional security and prosperity and provides a platform for increased engagement with the region.
Earlier this month, Pakistan and other SCO members were surprised over India’s sudden move to host the summit in July virtually instead of in-person.
