Nisar Memon highlights Shanghai, SCO

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

“It is understandable to keep social distances amongst the people to fight COVID-19 but not amongst the countries vowed to cooperate against terrorism, separatism and extremism, the three evil forces. These are the objectives pursued by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) or Shanghai Pact; a Eurasian intergovernmental organization for political, economic, and security cooperation.”

This was observed by Senator Nisar Memon, a former federal minister, in his latest newspaper article. 

‘The SCO was founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001 by six countries. Shanghai symbolizes the political power with its history dating back to 1291, an economic showcase with gross domestic product in 2019 amounted to approximately 3.82 trillion Yuan (about US$ 541billion), is China’s biggest and richest city, and a naval base and shipbuilding industry where Pakistan’s F-22P Frigate was built Shanghai is the city which rivals New York or Paris in terms of modernity and boasts a blended culture of the East and the West and has come to be known as Oriental Paris,” he wrote. 

“The SCO countries like other countries of the world are confronted with terrorism of tiny virus COVID-19 since the dawn of this decade. Each of the eight SCO member country; the People’s Republic of China, The Republic of India, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan; has suffered pandemic in varying degree,” the former federal minister observed. 

“The People’s Republic of China successfully came out of it and is on its feet reaching out to all continents to help victims of COVID-19. In February 2020, the SCO rightly issued a statement supporting China’s efforts against the novel coronavirus outbreak,” he complimented. 

“There must be some inherent immunity and strengths in our people. Besides this pandemic, the region awaits peace and progress for its 3.2 billion inhabitants compared to the rest of the world population of 4.6 billion,” he added.

“Pakistan experienced, within SCO, terrorism of worst kind with terrorist attacks on headquarters of its Navy, Air Force, and Army headquarters; on its cities killing civilians; but the worst was brutal attack on its innocent children in a Peshawar Public School. With political and security determination and coordinated actions, Pakistan has controlled terrorism but not completely as yet,” Senator Nisar Memon noted.

“Pakistan has overpowered extremism like one witnessed when the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were paralyzed by brute force at Faizabad, and Lal Masjid was turned into fortress with heavily armed extremists to fight the state. The need for institutional support from the SCO countries will bring fruits envisaged by pioneers of the alliance,” he opined.

China hails Indo-Pak participation in SCO Peace Mission exercises

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

China has hailed the participation of Pakistan and India in the Peace Mission anti-terrorism exercises of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson declared on August 27 that their country welcomed the joint Indo-Pak participation in the SCO Peace Mission. 

The week-long exercises were held in Russia and for the first time two neighbouring countries under the banner of the SCO participated, spokesperson Hua Chunying remarked at a regular media briefing in Beijing. 

The Ministry of Defense officials of both the country said that they believe that the two sides can learn from each other, which is a unique opportunity to exchange experiences.

The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said that they welcomed the joint participation of India and Pakistan in the anti-terrorism exercise under the SCO framework.

“Pakistan and India are important countries in South Asia. The stability of bilateral relations is of great significance to the peace and development of the region and the world,” she said 

“We sincerely hope that the two countries will strengthen bilateral and dialogue and cooperation within multilateral mechanisms such as the SCO, improve bilateral relations, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability,” she added.

The six-day SCO drills, which have brought the two countries together for the Exercise Peaceful Mission 2018, will continue till August 29 at Chebarkul town in Chelyabinsk Oblast in Russia. 

The exercise is aimed at enhancing cooperation between member states to deal with the growing threat of terrorism and extremism. 

Around 3,000 soldiers from Pakistan, India, China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan are taking part in the exercise. 

The Pakistan contingent comprises 110 members, while the strength of the Chinese contingent is of 748 personnel. The 200-member strong Indian contingent has 167 Indian Army personnel including four women officers and 33 personnel from the Indian Air Force.