Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that it would be a “big mistake to ignore Afghanistan this time around”, highlighting that peace in Pakistan and Afghanistan was interlinked.
He made the remarks as he addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) Council of Heads of State (CHS) meeting in Samarkand.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that it would be a “big mistake to ignore Afghanistan this time around”, highlighting that peace in Pakistan and Afghanistan was interlinked.
He made the remarks as he addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) Council of Heads of State (CHS) meeting in Samarkand.
Shehbaz had arrived in the historic city of Samarkand on a two-day visit on Thursday. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif are among the officials part of the Pakistani delegation.
On the second day of his visit, the prime minister attended the close-format CHS meeting at the Congress Centre where participants were welcomed by Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were also in attendance.
At the outset of his address, the premier deviated from the text of his speech as he talked about Afghanistan. “As you know Pakistan is a neighbouring country of Afghanistan, and peace in Afghanistan will ensure peace in Pakistan,” he said.
“In other words, what is good for Afghanistan, is good for Pakistan and vice versa.”
He went on to say that the world would have to work together to support all “good initiatives” in Afghanistan. “Therefore, it will be a big mistake if we ignore Afghanistan this time around.”
It is Pakistan’s opinion that strengthening Afghanistan in the security and counter terrorism domain should run parallel to the SCO’s socio-economic support to the Afghan people, he said.
PM Shehbaz said the international community must support efforts to build a sustainable Afghan economy. “Unfreezing Afghanistan’s financial assets remains a crucial need in this regard.”
For their part, Afghan authorities would do well to build a future based on inclusiveness and respect for human rights for all citizens, especially women and minorities, including effective steps against terrorism, he said.
Highlighting Pakistan’s fight against terrorism, he urged the SCO states to join hands and “fight this menace of extremism, separatism and terrorism and wipe it from the face of this earth”.
Calls on SCO state to ‘build a wall’ against climate change
PM Shehbaz also highlighted the devastation Pakistan had witnessed due to the recent catastrophic floods. “I have never before seen this kind of devastation.”
Stagnant water is causing a rise in waterborne diseases, such as malaria, he highlighted as he thanked SCO members for extending their support during this time of need.
The prime minister said Pakistan would eventually overcome this crisis as he estimated the damages to be “billions of dollars”.
“But […] these devastating floods in Pakistan are most definitely climate change-induced […] Cloud outbursts, unprecedented rains combined with hill torrents, all of this put together made Pakistan look like a sea of water.”
We are going to stand on our own feet but will this be the last time a country is going to fall victim to this devastation, he asked as he appealed to the SCO to “build a wall” against the menace of climate change.
But that can only be achieved through a well-thought out and sustainable plan, he said. “Our carbon emission is less than one per cent. Yet nature had this in store for us.”
Let’s make a plan to save our future generations, he said.
He concluded his speech by reaffirming Pakistan’s “strong and unwavering commitment” in advancing the objectives of the SCO.
‘Successful talks’ with Xi, Putin
In a tweet later in the day, Asif said that PM Shehbaz had “very successful” talks with Putin and Xi.
“Both of them have officially invited Shehbaz Sharif to visit their countries. The prime minister has accepted both invitations. There will be a visit to China in November 2022,” the defence minister confirmed.
سمرقند میں روسی صدر پیوٹن اورچینی صدرشی جنپنگ کیساتھ نہایت کامیاب مزاکرات. دونوں نے شہباز شریف کو سرکاری طور اپنے ممالک کےدورہ کی دعوت دی ھے.وزیراعظم نےدونوں انویٹیشن قبول کر لیے.نومبرانشاءاللہ چین کا دورہ ھوگا.
لگتا ھےاب بیرونی سازش کی جگہ اب ہیش ٹیگ بین الاقوامی سازش کا ھوگا.— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) September 16, 2022
Pakistan, Azerbaijan express resolve to enhance bilateral cooperation
Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz met Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and discussed issues of bilateral interest. The meeting, held on the sidelines of SCO, focused on ways to strengthen the relationship between the two countries in diverse fields.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif meets President of Azerbaijan H.E Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of SCO-CHS Summit in Samarqand, Uzbekistan pic.twitter.com/NdibTe1m1D
— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) September 16, 2022
— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) September 16, 2022
During the meeting, the premier underlined the importance of unlocking the existing potential in the relationship between the two countries by boosting bilateral engagement in the fields of trade, investment, agriculture, information technology, and tourism, according to a Radio Pakistan report.
“Shehbaz expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijan for its support and solidarity with Pakistan as well as the provision of generous financial assistance for the flood-affected people and highlighted that the massive natural disaster caused by climate change called for urgent action by the international community to address this global threat.”
He went on to say that Pakistan and Azerbaijan had exemplary relations, deeply embedded in common history, faith, and culture.
Furthermore, Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s principled support to Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh and congratulated his counterpart on the historic success in the liberation of its occupied territories, the report stated.
“He also expressed condolences on the recent martyrdom of 71 Azeri servicemen in an unprovoked attack by Armenia and reiterated support for Azerbaijan’s right to self-defence in accordance with international law and in the protection of its territorial integrity,” it added.
‘Long but productive day in Samarkand’
On Thursday, the premier met several leaders including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Turkiye’s Tayyip Erdogan and Iran’s Ebrahim Raisi. In a tweet on the conclusion of the first day, he said that the meetings were focused on enhancing trade and investment.
It was a long but productive day in Samarkand. In my meetings with leaders of our friendly countries, we agreed on enhancing trade & investment. I explained the flood ravages due to climate change. Food & energy shortages present a real challenge to our shared development agenda.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) September 15, 2022
“I explained the flood ravages due to climate change. Food and energy shortages present a real challenge to our shared development agenda,” he added.
The prime minister was scheduled to hold meetings with SCO leaders on the sidelines of the event.
However, Foreign Office Spokesman Asim Iftikhar earlier told that PM Shehbaz had no plans to meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
An official, when contacted, said though a brief courtesy meeting between the two was possible, they would not be holding talks as none of the two sides had sought a meeting.
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