Islamabad (Pakistan News Online) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organization SCO Summit, highlighting the need for increased collaboration in energy, transportation, and tourism sectors.
During his opening speech, Shehbaz Sharif welcomed participants, saying, “Hosting the SCO Summit is an honor for us. Sustainable development requires regional cooperation and connectivity.” He emphasized that SCO countries account for 40% of the world’s population, adding, “We must work together to achieve economic progress, stability, and prosperity, ensuring a better quality of life for our people.”
He urged SCO nations to explore new strategies for economic cooperation and emphasized efforts to promote tourism, regional connectivity, and environmental sustainability through the “Green Belt” initiative. He further highlighted the importance of joint efforts to tackle natural disasters and promote regional development through China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Shehbaz Sharif expressed optimism that the summit would yield fruitful discussions with lasting results. He remarked, “The changing global landscape demands collective action, and Pakistan remains committed to regional peace and stability.”
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of enhancing trade relations among SCO countries and called on the international community to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. “Afghanistan’s soil must not be used for terrorism. Pakistan supports a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan,” he stated.
Shehbaz Sharif concluded by emphasizing that poverty is not only an economic challenge but a moral issue, underlining the need for SCO nations to work together for regional development.