Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit begins in the federal capital on Tuesday amid heightened security. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the event. The SCO member states will be represented by the prime ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the First Vice President of Iran and External Affairs Minister of India. State Council of China premier Li Qiang represents his country. The prime minister of Mongolia as observer state, and deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and foreign minister of Turkmenistan as special guest will participate in the meeting. The SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in fields of economy, trade, environment and sociocultural linkages and review the performance of the organisation. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also hold important bilateral meetings with the visiting heads of delegations on the sidelines of the summit. The SCO summit is anticipated to serve as a key platform for fostering regional cooperation, bolstering trade and investment besides enhancing socioeconomic and cultural linkages among its member states. Diplomatic and political experts maintain that this important meeting of the heads of governments of SCO member states will not only help collectively address the pressing regional issues but also significantly enhance Pakistan’s role on the global stage as a leader. The SCO, which includes member states accounting for approximately 40 percent of the global population and 32 percent of the world’s GDP, presents Pakistan with an excellent opportunity to shape its economic and investment future. The SCO’s roots trace back to the Shanghai Five established in 1996, evolving significantly after Uzbekistan joined in 2001, and more recently, Pakistan became a full member in 2017 after excellently performing its observer’s role during 2015-17. The experts said the collective strength of the SCO could be harnessed through collaborative initiatives aimed at promoting regional cooperation and deepening economic cooperation vital for the shared prosperity of people of all SCO states. They said Pakistan’s significance in the region enhanced after CPEC, making it an ideal destination for investment. For Pakistan, they said, fostering an environment of open dialogue and cooperation would be essential in addressing key challenges and trade barriers. They expressed the hope that Pakistan would effectively highlight its viewpoint on regional issues. The experts said the SCO summit represented a pivotal moment for regional diplomacy and deepening economic cooperation, with the potential to significantly impact not only Pakistan positively but also the regional countries.
