ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a “beacon of multilateralism” while chairing the 23rd summit of its Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) in Islamabad.
The SCO includes China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners.” Pakistan has been a full member since 2017 when former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the summit in Kazakhstan. Recently, Nawaz Sharif expressed hope for renewed ties with India.
As the current Chair of the CHG, PM Shehbaz presided over the summit held at the Jinnah Convention Centre in the capital. In his opening address, he warmly welcomed the attendees, saying, “It gives me immense pleasure to welcome our distinguished guests to Islamabad, the green and beautiful capital.”
PM Shehbaz highlighted the significance of the SCO, describing it as representing “the collective voice and wishes of over 40 percent of the global population anchored in the Shanghai spirit.” He emphasized the shared commitment to collective security and cooperation for sustainable development in the region.
“This summit is a testament to the strength of our collaboration among diverse nations,” he said, noting the potential for the SCO to drive socio-economic progress, enhance regional peace, and improve the quality of life for citizens.
Calling for deeper collaboration, PM Shehbaz encouraged the leaders to use the summit as an opportunity to exchange ideas, share best practices, and forge action plans to benefit the region’s economies and societies. He expressed optimism about the “wonderful outcomes” that would emerge from their discussions.
In his subsequent remarks, PM Shehbaz underscored the pivotal moment in global history, with widespread transformations reshaping the political, economic, and security landscapes. He reiterated the SCO’s role as a beacon of multilateralism, expressing confidence that the organization could shape a more prosperous, stable, and secure future for all its member states.
Reflecting on Pakistan’s chairmanship of the SCO CHG, PM Shehbaz reaffirmed the country’s commitment to regional peace, stability, and enhanced connectivity. He noted that Pakistan’s collaboration with the SCO had expanded academic and tourism linkages, promoted poverty alleviation, and empowered women and youth across the region.
He also highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to enhance economic cooperation, focusing on trade promotion, the creative economy, and the SCO’s new economic dialogue programme. However, he emphasized the need for tangible action, calling for coordinated implementation and stronger cooperation in critical sectors like trade and the economy.
Turning to Afghanistan, PM Shehbaz described it as a unique opportunity for trade and transit that could benefit all SCO members but stressed the importance of stability in the country. He urged the international community to provide urgent humanitarian support and called on the Afghan interim government to embrace political inclusivity to prevent Afghan soil from being used for terrorism against its neighbors.
Following PM Shehbaz’s speech, India’s Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, and Iran’s Trade Minister, Seyyed Mohammad Atabek, also addressed the summit. Before the conference, leaders from the SCO member states posed for a group photo at the Jinnah Convention Centre.
