By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on Wednesday for greater regional connectivity and economic integration, as he inaugurated the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
“Flagship projects like the Belt and Road Initiative of President Xi Jinping; the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is in its second phase; and the international north-south transport corridor should be expanded, focusing on developing road, rail and digital infrastructure,” the premier told the gathering.
“Let us not look at such projects through the narrow political prism, and invest in our collective connectivity capacity which is crucial in advancing the shared vision of an economically integrated region.”
Sharif is currently chairing the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government, with representatives from China, Russia, India, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus in attendance.
The SCO is a key Eurasian political, economic and security alliance founded in 2001 by China, Russia and several Central Asian nations. Over the years, it has expanded to include countries like India and Pakistan, making it a significant regional bloc.
Sharif, welcoming the delegates, said the forum should not simply boost regional trade but should also advance a vision of connected Eurasia.
“While supporting all SCO connectivity initiatives, Pakistan underscores the importance of establishing a robust SCO connectivity framework,” he said in his keynote address.
“From the esteemed platform of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a beacon of multilateralism, I stand in the belief that we possess not only the potential but the will to forge a future that is more prosperous and secure for our people.”
“A future, that is inclusive and reflective of the shared aspirations of all member states.”
PM Sharif called on the international community to provide urgent humanitarian support to Afghanistan, while urging its interim Taliban government to embrace political inclusivity.
“Afghanistan, by virtue of its contiguity with the region, presents an invaluable opportunity for trade and transit, benefiting all SCO member states,” he added. “A stable Afghanistan, is not only desirable, but essential, to fully realising these opportunities.”
Sharif called on the SCO to prioritize poverty alleviation and climate change, saying they were critical challenges demanding collective attention.
“The challenges of poverty are not just an economic issue but a moral imperative that demands the collective attention of the regional states,” Sharif told the SCO summit. “With millions living in poverty within the SCO region, closer cooperation on poverty alleviation is critical.”
As chair of the SCO’s Special Working Group on Poverty, Pakistan has facilitated several seminars and webinars to share knowledge and best practices, Sharif said, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to addressing poverty’s root causes.
Sharif also emphasized the urgent need for environmental cooperation, citing climate change as an “existential crisis” disproportionately affecting countries like Pakistan. “It is imperative that we prioritise environmental cooperation within the SCO to build resilience and secure a sustainable future for the generations to come.”
Pakistan welcomes the recent SCO agreement on environmental protection and urges member states to engage in regional and global environmental efforts, Sharif said. He highlighted Pakistan’s proactive, technology-driven disaster management system and plans for simulation exercises with SCO partners.
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