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BEIJING, Sep 1 (APP):Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his address at the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Monday, has fully demonstrated Pakistan’s resolve and efforts to actively promote regional peace and development, firmly safeguard national interests, and strive to address domestic and international challenges amid the complex regional and international situation.
This address is of great significance for enhancing the understanding of Pakistan among the regional and international communities and advancing Pakistan’s cooperation with the regional and international communities.
These views were expressed by Prof. Cheng Xizhong, Senior Research Fellow at the Charhar Institute while talking to APP. PM Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of promoting regional cooperation, dialogue and peace within the SCO framework, and urged the SCO leadership to initiate comprehensive and organized dialogues to resolve long-standing disputes in South Asia.
This appeal reflects Pakistan’s firm belief in resolving regional issues through multilateral mechanisms. Pakistan expects to leverage the SCO platform to advance the resolution of issues through multilateral consultation. This not only aligns with Pakistan’s own security and development interests, but also holds far-reaching significance for the peace and stability of the entire South Asian region, he said.
In the context of regional security issues, PM Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm condemnation of all forms of terrorism, including what he defined as “state terrorism”. Pakistan’s anti – terrorism stance is based on its experience of long – term suffering from terrorism. This resolute stance indicates to the international community that terrorism, regardless of its forms, should not be tolerated.
PM Shehbaz Sharif clearly stated that Pakistan supports multilateralism, adheres to a foreign policy centered on dialogue and diplomacy, and firmly rejects unilateralism. Against the backdrop of extremely disturbing developments in the regional situation, Pakistan is actively seeking to establish normal and stable relations with its neighboring countries and advocates dialogue rather than confrontation. This foreign policy reflects Pakistan’s maturity and rationality. Pakistan’s adherence to multilateralism and its efforts to resolve differences through dialogue are conducive to creating a harmonious neighboring environment, he added.
On the Israel-Palestine issue, PM Shehbaz Sharif called for an immediate end to the bloody clashes in the Gaza Strip and firmly supported the “two-state solution” with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. This position reflects Pakistan’s commitment to international justice and support for regional allies.
Regarding the situation in Afghanistan, PM Shehbaz Sharif stated that Pakistan supports a peaceful and stable Afghanistan for the benefit of the entire region, and looks forward to more positive outcomes from the trilateral cooperation among Pakistan, China and Afghanistan.
The stability of Afghanistan is crucial for the security and development of Pakistan, as well as the entire South Asian and Central Asian regions. By actively participating in the trilateral cooperation, Pakistan aims to contribute to Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development, while also creating a safer border environment for itself and promoting regional economic connectivity, he said.
He said, the speech of PM Shehbaz Sharif at the SCO Tianjin Summit is of great significance in many aspects and has received positive responses from all parties participating in the summit. As an important member of the SCO, Pakistan follows the “Shanghai Spirit” and works closely with regional countries in the fields of development, security and connectivity.
The important speech of PM Shehbaz Sharif reflects Pakistan’s determination to actively participate in the cooperation in the fields of agriculture, green development and digital economy under the SCO framework, which helps to promote the in – depth development of regional multilateral cooperation and achieve regional prosperity and stability, he added.