Pakistan will work together with Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) member states to achieve shared prosperity, peace and defeat terrorism, President Asif Ali Zardari said. Addressing SCO Summit on Wednesday in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, he said Pakistan made great sacrifices in fight against terrorism, militancy, which posed common threats to the region.
He said: "We are committed to combat terrorism, extremism, separatism. Drug trafficking and production not only harms our people but also fuels militancy, terrorism which are serious threats to security, well-being of our societies. We look forward to enhance co-operation with SCO to eliminate this menace from the region."
Zardari hoped Pakistan's application for full membership of SCO would be processed expeditiously. SCO set up in 2001 has six full members: China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Pakistan, India, and Iran have observer status. Sri Lanka and Belarus are dialogue partners.
He said Pakistan intended to fully associate with all SCO programmes for peace, development, wishes to take part in its initiatives in promote regional, trans-regional connectivity, trade. "We wish to cooperate in finance, banking sectors, joint ventures in energy, infrastructure, education, science, technology development programmes."
He praised SCO for its significant contributions to peace, development of the region in last decade. "We want to associate fully with SCO ideals, values, share its vision for future, uphold objects of regional peace, and development. We belong to SCO region. Apart from our geographical location, geo-economic realities also encourage Pakistan to join SCO as a full member. Our destinies are inter-linked."
Zardari told SCO Heads of state that Afghan President Hamid Karzai paid important visit to Islamabad last week and had excellent talks on way forward. "We agreed to cooperate in fighting terror, promote regional connectivity, economic, trade co-operation."
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