Pakistan becomes member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

Pakistan becomes member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

Astana, Kazakhstan: Pakistan has become full member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) after all the six member states of SCO signed document for awarding membership to Pakistan and India at the afternoon of Friday June 9, 2017 here at Astana.

Pakistan and India were enjoying the status of observer along with Afghanistan and Iran before becoming full members.

Heads of states of China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan congratulated Pakistan and India after signing documents for their membership. A group photo of all heads of states of SCO member countries were posted officially by the authorities of SCO secretariat. Now SCO leadership has been shifted to China for holding next SCO Summit in summer 2018.

After completion of signing ceremony, Chairman of 17^th SCO Summit Astana Kazkah President Nazarbayev congratulated new members and said that all SCO states agreed to sign completion of the procedure for admission and granting the status of a SCO member state to the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

“Admission of new members for us is a new impulse in the development of the organization, and it will promote growth and international prestige”, said President Nazarbayev.

The decision of giving membership to Pakistan was taken in Ufa SCO Summit in 2015 and Pakistan had to go through a process while signing certain documents before becoming full member. India also got membership today. After membership of Pakistan and India, the SCO has become a forum having four nuclear powers – Russia, China, India and Pakistan.

After receiving membership, Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif thanked heads of states of China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for their support and guidance for becoming member of (SCO).