Pakistan has long been the most important front in the global war against terrorism. In this struggle, Pakistan has made immense sacrifices in terms of lives and finances. Yet, despite these sacrifices, many global powers continued to ignore Pakistan’s services and stance. In such circumstances, the recent declaration of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit-where terrorist attacks in Pakistan were explicitly condemned-has emerged as a major diplomatic success for Pakistan.
This success not only strengthened Pakistan’s position but also exposed Indian propaganda.At the SCO summit, in the presence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presented Pakistan’s stance before the world. Shehbaz Sharif declared terrorism, separatism, and extremism to be serious threats to the entire region, stating that Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. He emphasized that the world does not accept the false narrative of those countries that use terrorism as a tool for political gain. He also pointed out that there is evidence of external involvement in terrorist attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pakistan has consistently stressed that without cooperation and intelligence sharing, success against terrorism is not possible.
It is worth noting that the SCO is considered one of the most important regional organizations in the world. Its member states include China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Iran, and the Central Asian republics. Together, these countries represent over half of the world’s population and a significant portion of the global economy. Endorsement of Pakistan’s stance on such a platform proves that major regional powers stand with Pakistan on the issue of terrorism, despite India’s opposition and conspiracies. The organization not only works to promote economic cooperation but also plays a key role in peace, security, and counterterrorism. Therefore, the condemnation of terrorist incidents in Pakistan at this platform is not merely symbolic but a practical expression of solidarity with Pakistan.
For the past two decades, Pakistan has served as a frontline state in the war against terrorism. Since 9/11, Pakistan has sacrificed thousands of precious lives in this fight. Soldiers, police officers, civilians, and even students-every section of society has been affected by this war. Economically, Pakistan has suffered losses exceeding $150 billion. Yet, despite these losses, Pakistan dismantled terrorist networks and gave the region and the world a great gift. Nevertheless, India and some Western powers continued to accuse Pakistan of being a “safe haven for terrorists.” The recent SCO declaration rejected these allegations and recognized Pakistan’s sacrifices at the global level. The condemnation of terrorist attacks such as those on the Jaffer Express and in Khuzdar is proof that the world now acknowledges Pakistan’s stance as reality.
India has long attempted to convince the world that Pakistan sponsors terrorism. At every international forum, Indian representatives prioritize hurling accusations at Pakistan. But at this SCO summit, India’s narrative failed.
Efforts to shape global opinion against Pakistan collapsed when member states openly condemned terrorism in Pakistan. This made it clear that India’s stance is based not on reality but on propaganda. The world has finally recognized Pakistan’s sacrifices and rejected India’s accusations.
At the SCO summit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir represented Pakistan very effectively. They conveyed to the world that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism, not a facilitator of it. Pakistan has fought terrorists with its own resources, and even today, nationwide operations continue to establish peace. It is also a fact that the political leadership and military leadership being on the same page strengthens Pakistan’s position globally. During the summit, both leaders, through their statements and meetings, sent the message that Pakistan desires peace in the region but will continue its vigorous fight against terrorism.
In recent times, India has faced difficulties in its relations with the US and Western countries. The US strongly criticized India for purchasing Russian oil and imposed additional tariffs. Under this pressure, Narendra Modi attempted to improve relations with China in order to strengthen India’s position in the region.
However, during the SCO summit, India achieved no major diplomatic success. Neither was Modi able to secure international support, nor was he able to promote his narrative against Pakistan. This summit further highlighted India’s diplomatic failure. The SCO declaration also made it clear that terrorism is not the problem of any single country but a major threat to the entire region. The situation in Afghanistan, potential terrorist networks in Central Asian states, and attacks on Pakistan all demand that member states jointly confront this challenge.
Pakistan has consistently stressed that without cooperation and intelligence sharing, success against terrorism is not possible. Now that Pakistan’s stance is being recognized at the global level, there is hope that effective cooperation against terrorism in the region will be strengthened. India’s propaganda failure and Pakistan’s successful acceptance at the international level are not only encouraging for Pakistan’s foreign policy but also proof that Pakistan’s reputation globally is growing stronger. Earlier, US President Donald Trump supported Pakistan’s stance during heightened tensions between Pakistan and India and prevented the region from slipping into a major war-a situation that caused India great embarrassment on the global stage.
This diplomatic success will enable Pakistan to highlight its narrative with greater confidence in the future and to further expose India’s negative propaganda. Undoubtedly, this is a development that will hold a prominent place in Pakistan’s diplomatic history, and the unity of Pakistan’s civil and military leadership has been the key reason behind this success.
The writer is an old Aitchisonian who believes in freedom of expression, a freelance columnist, entrepreneur and social activist.