Closing ceremony of JATE held: Foreign secretary underscores need for close cooperation among SCO member states

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood has emphasized the need for close cooperation and concerted efforts among the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states to counter challenges to peace and security in the region.

The foreign secretary hosted the participants of the SCO member states, following the closing ceremony of Joint Anti-Terrorism Exercise (JATE) - Pabbi-Anti-Terror 2021 on Monday night, according to a statement of the Foreign Office.

The participants included the Executive Committee of SCO-RATS, led by its Director, Major General Ghiyosov Jamakhon and high-level delegations from counter-terrorism and national security authorities of all SCO member states. The participants were also given a comprehensive briefing on Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts and its role in promoting regional security.

In his remarks, the foreign secretary highlighted that the SCO-RATS was the only regional platform for dealing with the threat of terrorism and extremism. Referring to the monumental changes that have occurred in the SCO region recently, the foreign secretary called for the need for close cooperation and concerted efforts among SCO member states to counter challenges to peace and security.

He also highlighted the enormous sacrifices rendered by Pakistan in human and economic terms in the fight against terrorism. He said that Pakistan attaches great importance to the work of the SCO. "We believe it is a leading platform to foster enhanced cooperation among the member states and to unlock the immense potential of our region, home to over one-third of humanity," he added.

He said that the SCO's focus on regional security and stability is also exemplary. Through standalone mechanisms such as SCO-RATS, the organisation pools in expertise, resources and experiences from all member states to collectively fight the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism, he said.

At the same time, he added that it helps the member states strengthen their own domestic security regimes in line with the regional and international best practices. "As our region is undergoing monumental changes, the challenges in the realm of peace and security have become more complex. While we are all striving to preserve stability in the region, we must not remain oblivious to the emerging dangers," he added.

He said that Pakistan is committed to remain a major, proactive, reliable and willing partner of the international community in the fight against terrorism and extremism. "We will always play a leading role within the SCO, and elsewhere, to work for the peace and stability of our region and beyond," Mahmood said.

This abiding resolve is founded on unmatched sacrifices that our nation has rendered for the cause of peace, he added. "Outside active conflict zones, no other country has sacrificed more for peace than Pakistan. We have waged this heroic struggle, while enduring more than 80,000 casualties and economic losses in excess of US 150 billion dollars," he added.

He pointed out that Pakistan's success story to counter terrorism and extremism is widely acknowledged by the international community. "We are willing to share our experience with the rest of the world and remain ready to forge closer cooperation to fight common threats," he added.

JATE is an annual counter-terrorism exercise held under the framework of SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS). This year, Pakistan hosted this exercise at its National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) at Pabbi, Punjab. "Pabbi-2021" was the first ever exercise with physical participation of counter-terrorism forces from two SCO member states-Pakistan and China.

"Hosting the Joint Anti-Terrorism Exercise projected Pakistan's counter-terrorism capabilities and reinforced the leading role it is playing for regional peace and security," the statement added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021