Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Atadijan Movlamov, the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Pakistan said that Pakistan’s ideal location enables it to become a source for regional economic integration within and between the SCO member states.

While talking at a round-table discussion on ‘SCO Expansion: Geopolitical and Strategic Implications’ on Tuesday, at the “Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services” (PIPS), he said that after Operation Zarb-e-Azab, the security situation has become better. In an opening remark, President CPGS Senator Sehar Kaan (TI) remarked that SCO expansion and Pakistan’s inclusion in the organisation will prove to be ‘mutually beneficial’, and Pakistan will act as a ‘zipper’ for the entire region.

She emphasised that the expansion of the organisation will better enable it to deter extra-regional pressures. With Pakistan’s permanent membership and vast experience in the context, new measures and joint ventures can also be taken for countering violent extremism in the region. Pakistan has achieved phenomenal success in the internationally acclaimed ‘Operation Zarb-e-Azb’ and can share valuable expertise with the SCO member states. Speakers at the event were Dr. Petr Topychkanov, Associate at the Carnegie Moscow Center’s Nonproliferation Program, and Dr Saifur Rehman from the Institute for Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA) at the National Defence University (NDU).

The proceedings were chaired by Dr Muhammad Khan, Head of the IR Department at NDU. During the discussion, the speakers highlighted the implications of the SCO expansion for regional dynamics, as well as some of the challenges the process may face. Dr Topychkanov stated that SCO was different from NATO and building a military bloc was against its own interest. However, the organisation believes in resolving regional issues without interfering in domestic problems of other states. Dr Saifur Rehman said Islamabad was interested in regional connectivity through the SCO instead of military sharing.

Lt. General (R) Naseer Khan Janjua said such an attitude of embracing the upcoming opportunities was laudable. He stated awareness was the key to the acceptance of anything new and this is particularly true in the case of SCO. “Pakistan will help SCO embrace the world and will act like a bridge.” He also highlighted that “(Pakistanis) are a brilliant and resilient people — we have endured this war for almost four decades; we’re misunderstood”. He added that the SCO can play an important role in ameliorating the misperceptions surrounding the country. Senator Afrasiab Khattak opined that it is “vital to create bridges and look for points of convergence. Today’s age is the age of connectivity. SCO expansion is timely and Pakistan will be looking to play an important role in the region”. The event was organised by the Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) and attended by senior public officials, including Lt. Gen (R) Naseer Khan Janjua, National Security Advisor, Atadjan Movlamov, the Ambassador of Turkmenistan, and Senator Afrasiab Khattak, representatives from NACTA, diplomats and academicians, as well as media persons.