ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday reiterated Pakistan’s commitment towards “Shanghai Spirit” of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development.
In a meeting with the visiting Secretary General of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Rashid Alimov at PM Office in Islamabad, the prime minister thanked him for his support in steering the process of Pakistan’s membership of SCO, and said Pakistan shared with SCO and its members, deep rooted historical and cultural links and strong economic and strategic complementarities.
Highlighting Pakistan’s active participation in all the SCO activities, the prime minister appreciated that SCO had established itself as a significant and influential player in the International arena by leveraging its comparative advantages.
Its unique and pragmatic portfolio of economic, trade, development, security and counter terrorism cooperation distinguished it from the other international organizations, he said.
The prime minister expressed Pakistan’s support towards SCO’s connectivity initiatives and offered to connect CPEC with SCO’s six approved routes which would greatly enhance their vitality to become a conduit for linking Eurasian landmass, China, Russia and Central Asia with the Arabian Sea.
Khaqan Abbasi also expressed support for various SCO’s initiatives including the establishment of SCO Development Bank, SCO Development Fund, SCO Business Council, SCO Interbank Consortium and SCO’s initiative on Small and Medium Enterprises.
While expressing support for the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), the prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s strong opposition to the three evils of terrorism, extremism and separatism.
The SCO secretary general appreciated Pakistan’s active participation in all SCO activities. He said the inclusion of new members like Pakistan had greatly strengthened SCO which had emerged as a true cross regional and cross continental organization playing a multifaceted role in the world politics.
Rashid Alimov the SCO could enormously benefit from Pakistan’s experience in successful combating of the menace of terrorism, narcotics and drugs as well as its economic strengths and connectivity potentials.
