SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry former President Iftikhar Ali Malik called on Sunday for enhanced cooperation among Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members to boost trade facilitation, reduce tariffs, and eliminate non-tariff barriers, aiming to deepen regional economic integration. Hailing here today holding of 23rd SCO ministerial meeting successfully in Islamabad, he said recognizing the challenges posed by unilateral trade barriers, SCO ministers emphasized that collaboration through multilateral platforms is essential to addressing these issues.
He said meeting emphasized the urgent need to counter rising protectionist trade measures globally and they stressed that such practices hinder international trade and undermine global economic growth, calling instead for a strengthened, inclusive, and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system based on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) framework. The meeting also highlighted the importance of upholding the core principles of the WTO, particularly in ensuring free, fair, and predictable trade rules that apply equally to all member states.