Astana: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif made a national statement of Pakistan at the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting held in Astana, Kazakhstan.
In his speech, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the Charter and principles of the SCO and expressed Pakistan’s support for the expansion of the SCO and reforms in the organization. He also welcomed the accession of Belarus to the SCO as a full member state and congratulated President Xi Jinping on his inauguration as the Chairman of the SCO for 2024-25.
The prime minister said that cooperation with the SCO is a priority in Pakistan’s foreign policy. He called for collective action on the SHG platform to achieve socio-economic development. It also supports the development of connectivity in the region through efficient transport corridors and secure supply chains. In this regard, he said that Pakistan is the most suitable trade route for the region and CPEC complements the SCO’s vision of regional connectivity and integration.
On climate change, the Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to a sustainable and environmentally friendly world. He welcomed the WTO agreement on environmental protection and called on developed countries to increase support for developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
The Prime Minister emphasized the financial challenges faced by the SCC countries from the global conflict and pandemic and called for strengthening collective efforts to improve living standards in the SCC region.
The Prime Minister said that the SCO member countries have a common interest in ensuring peace and stability in the region, and in this regard, he demanded lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.
In his statement, the Prime Minister called for collective and comprehensive action against terrorism and extremism, which must be condemned in all shapes and forms. He said that there is no reason to kill innocent people or that terrorism should not be used to make political points. He said that Pakistan is against divisive policies based on prejudice and discrimination, inciting hatred on the basis of race and religion.
Above all, the Prime Minister stressed the need to ensure respect for universally recognized principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and people’s right to self-determination, and said that the resolution of the UN Security Council provides a suitable framework for resolving long-standing disputes. including that problem. area. Failure to comply with this decision causes unimaginable suffering to people.
The prime minister said Israel’s illegal bombing of Palestine had killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians. He called for an unequivocal condemnation of Israeli atrocities and an immediate and unconditional ceasefire leading to a two-state solution with the creation of a Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds as its capital.
The Prime Minister said that he is looking forward to holding a meeting of the Heads of the SCO Governing Council in Islamabad in October this year. Pakistan will try to adopt ambitious initiatives to ensure sustainable development and seek active and positive cooperation of all GCC member states.
