PM Shehbaz arrived in China on Saturday to attend the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) summit held from August 31 to September 1. Besides Pakistan, the SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. Another 16 countries are affiliated as observers or \u201cdialogue partners\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe respect all international and bilateral treaties and expect similar principles to be followed by all SCO members,\u201d PM Shehbaz said at the summit today, in an apparent reference to fellow SCO member India and its unilateral move<\/a> to hold the IWT<\/a> in abeyance in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUninterrupted access to due share of water as per existing treaties among SCO members will strengthen the SCO working smoothly and will support the achievement of broader goals for which the SCO was established,\u201d he stressed at the summit in China\u2019s Tianjin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n India held the IWT in abeyance following the April 22 attack<\/a> in occupied Kashmir\u2019s Pahalgam that killed 26 \u2014 an incident New Delhi blamed<\/a> on Islamabad without evidence. Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an \u201cact of war<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earlier this month, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague issued<\/a> a \u201cSupplemental Award of Competence\u201d in the case, stating that India cannot unilaterally hold the treaty in abeyance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the SCO summit, PM Shehbaz called for a \u201ccomprehensive and structural dialogue to discuss all outstanding disputes\u201d, adding: \u201cI will request your consideration to lead this dialogue under your sagacious leadership so that they can have its dividends as early as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The prime minister reaffirmed that Pakistan sought a \u201cnormal and stable relationship with all its neighbours\u201d. \u201cIt seeks dialogue and diplomacy over conflict and confrontation,\u201d he highlighted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PM Shehbaz noted: \u201cPakistan has always believed in the power of multilateralism, dialogue and diplomacy, and shunning unilateralism. And yet, to our shock and deep disappointment, the region witnessed extremely disturbing developments during the last few months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPakistan supports and respects the sovereignty and integrity of all SCO members and its neighbours,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe will continue our efforts, along with all SCO members and the chairman of SCO, to promote progress and prosperity in the entire region and to ensure lasting peace in South Asia,\u201d PM Shehbaz pledged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPakistan has always abided by the UN and SCO charters and will always respect the principles that will hold dear to all of us for our collective good. As a peace-loving nation, Pakistan has always advocated dialogue and diplomacy, consultation over confrontation,\u201d he reiterated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During his address, the premier also highlighted the severe floods that Pakistan was once again facing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy country is once again passing through unprecedented torrential rains, cloudbursts and massive devastation due to consequent flooding in three of our major rivers,\u201d PM Shehbaz said, highlighting huge loss of lives and livestock, as well as severe damage to infrastructure and crops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe deeply appreciate the international community\u2019s, including China\u2019s, solidarity, sympathy and support with us,\u201d he said, hailing the rescue and rebuilding efforts of \u201cmy brave and resilient people\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the outset of his speech, the prime minister noted that the port city of Tianjin, where the summit is taking place, represented \u201cChina\u2019s core values as a connector and bridge of cultures and civilisation\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He thanked President Xi and his government for the warm hospitality and excellent arrangements for the SCO gathering. The premier also extended his felicitations to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan on their national days today and yesterday, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PM Shehbaz further said: \u201cFor us, the SCO is a platform that best represents Pakistan\u2019s abiding commitment to regional cooperation and integration. China\u2019s successful tenure as chair of the SCO is reflective of President Xi\u2019s sagacious and visionary leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He stressed that China\u2019s \u201cglobal leadership\u201d was exemplified not only through the bloc but also in landmark initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative<\/a> and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor<\/a> (CPEC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the SCO summit, PM Shehbaz also highlighted the issue of terrorism and said Pakistan had \u201cirrefutable evidence of involvement of some foreign hands\u201d in the Jaffar Express hijacking<\/a> in March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The train, travelling from Quetta to Peshawar and carrying 440 passengers, was hijacked near Balochistan\u2019s Sibi area on March 11, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 passengers<\/a>, including 18 security personnel. \u201cAll 33 terrorists\u201d were neutralised during the two-day clearance operation, the military said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have irrefutable evidence of involvement of some foreign hands in the devastating Jaffar Express train hostage incident, as well as countless other terrorist attacks against us in Balochistan and KP provinces of Pakistan,\u201d the premier said at the summit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThose who have long used terrorism for advancing their political interests must know that the world no longer buys this fictitious narrative.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Days after the hijacking, the military spokesperson had said India was the main sponsor<\/a> \u201cin this terrorist incident in Balochistan and others before\u201d. In April, the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations had also said the country had \u201ccredible evidence<\/a>\u201d proving that the attack was \u201cexternally sponsored by its regional adversaries\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the SCO summit, the prime minister noted: \u201cThe menace of terrorism, separatism, [and] extremism continues to pose a grave threat to Pakistan and endanger peace and security of the entire SCO region and the SCO family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with the fullest force at our command, including state terrorism in clear and ambiguous terms,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recalling the country\u2019s \u201cgreat sacrifices in combating terrorism not only for its own self but for the region and far beyond\u201d, PM Shehbaz reiterated<\/a> that Pakistan had lost over 90,000 valuable lives and endured economic losses of over $152 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA sacrifice which has no parallel in history,\u201d the premier said, adding that there \u201ccannot be a bigger manifestation of our unwavering commitment to defeat terrorism with the cooperation of all SCO members and global powers around the globe\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The prime minister also voiced Pakistan\u2019s desire for a \u201cpeaceful and stable\u201d Afghanistan, noting that it was not only in Islamabad\u2019s interest but that of the entire region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhile we remain engaged in building our ties with the Afghan leadership to leverage them as economic partners and good neighbours, we hope that this cooperation with Afghanistan and our trilateral meetings<\/a> between China, Pakistan and Afghanistan will have positive results in times to come,\u201d Shehbaz said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs SCO leaders, we have reaffirmed year after year the significance of enhanced regional connectivity. This requires efficient land, air and rail transport corridors to ensure the reliability of supply chains,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The premier asserted that the expansion of CPEC could serve as a \u201cpractical demonstration of SCO\u2019s vision for regional connectivity and economic integration\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During his address, PM Shehbaz also condemned Israel\u2019s deadly attacks<\/a> on Iran in June this year and its \u201cheart-wrenching bloodshed in Gaza\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIsrael\u2019s unjustified aggression against our fellow brotherly member country Iran, a fellow SCO state, is condemnable and therefore unacceptable,\u201d the prime minister said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza is a festering wound on our collective conscience. We reiterate our call for an immediate end to gruesome violence and heart-wrenching bloodshed in Gaza,\u201d the premier said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He underscored that Pakistan has consistently supported the UN-mandated two-state solution<\/a>, which meant the creation of an independent state of Palestine with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PM Shehbaz also held meetings with fellow SCO leaders on the summit\u2019s sidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condoled the prime minister on the ongoing floods in Pakistan and expressed his country\u2019s support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two also reviewed the state of cooperation across diverse sectors and expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in bilateral relations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PM Shehbaz arrived in China on Saturday to attend the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) summit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsbeat","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/a>\u2018Irrefutable evidence of foreign hands in terrorism on Pakistani soil\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Afghanistan and regional connectivity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>\u2018Heart-wrenching bloodshed in Gaza\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Meetings with SCO leaders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n