Daily Times

The slightest signs of an improvement in relations between Pakistan and India dominate the media discourse in both countries even as important developments are reported from around the world. The 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, attended by key world leaders in Bishkek, remained the focus for analysts in India and Pakistan for only one gesture – will Imran Khan and Narendra Modi shake hands and meet or not? In the end they did shake hands and exchange pleasantries, though not in front of cameras. This was not enough to thaw the ties, which India has put on freeze since 2018. The anticipation about a possible Imran-Modi meeting overshadowed the SCO proceedings in Pakistan and India. Not many people thus know that according to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Pakistan signed three agreements on education, health and cultural activities with the SCO states. Also, Pakistan held talks with Kyrgyzstan to import 1,000 megawatts electricity under the CASA-1000 project. The big breakthrough, however, was Prime Minister Imran Khan’s informal meeting with Russian President Viladimir Putin. Russia wields great influence on India. President Putin can help Pakistan and India discuss and resolve the long-standing Kashmir dispute. The prime minister also met the Chinese and Belarus heads of states and discussed ways to accelerate cooperation in agriculture, industry and technology.

The SCO leaders were well aware of the menace of terrorism. The member states condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations urging the international community to strengthen global cooperation in efforts against terrorism under the United Nations’ central role by implementing the relevant Security Council resolutions as well as the UN’s global counter-terrorism strategy in line with the UN charter and the relevant principles of international law, without politicizing the matter or resort to double standards. Most of the SCO member states have been directly or indirectly hit by terrorism over the last two decades. Though most of the states do not see eye to eye on the definition and manifestation of terrorism, they can agree on increasing cooperation with each other. This might later end up in a joint fight against non-state actors. The delicate geo-political considerations in the region threaten to hamper the fight against terrorism. The member states should work with one another to promote socio-economic ventures and work towards use of local currencies in bilateral financial transactions and settlements. *