Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan remains committed to regional peace, multilateralism and collective action against terrorism and emerging challenges.
BISHKEK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) an important platform for global peace and stability, urging member states to translate international commitments into practical action.
Addressing the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek, the prime minister said the organisation’s completion of 25 years was an important milestone. He described Pakistan as an active and responsible member of the SCO and said the grouping represented a collective resolve to address common challenges.
Shehbaz said the global landscape was facing growing geopolitical tensions, making collective efforts for peace and stability increasingly important. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to sustainable regional peace and said Islamabad supported strengthening the multilateral system.
“The international institutions must turn declarations into practical measures,” the prime minister said, stressing that Pakistan believed in the peaceful resolution of disputes and respect for international law.
He said Pakistan had played an effective role in promoting peace during a recent regional crisis and would continue its efforts for peace in the region. He also said Pakistan had recently signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, adding that the agreement was not directed against any party.
The prime minister said Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts had led to the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and described its implementation as extremely important for peace in the region.
Shehbaz stressed that South Asia could not achieve development without sustainable peace. He also highlighted water security, saying water was essential for the future of the region and coming generations.
“Water irrigates our lands,” he said, warning that using water as a political weapon was unacceptable.
The prime minister also identified terrorism as one of the most serious threats facing the region. He said Pakistan had sacrificed more than 90,000 lives in the war against terrorism and suffered economic losses of more than $150 billion.
On Afghanistan, Shehbaz said Pakistan wanted a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan, while stressing that Afghan territory could not be allowed to be used by terrorists against Pakistan.
The prime minister also expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, describing the suffering of civilians as an unimaginable tragedy. He called on the international community to respect the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
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