PM proposes course of action for SCO
ISLAMABAD — Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday proposed an eight-pronged course of action for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization calling for a peaceful co-existence, regional trade, soft and infrastructure connectivity and a framework against corruption and white-collar crimes among the member states.
Addressing the 19th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Bishkek, the prime minister prime minister called for galvanizing the “Shanghai Spirit” to strengthen SCO’s core mandate of mitigating the risks of conflict, fostering confidence and promoting stability.
Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov chaired the meeting held in both narrow and extended formats.
Imran Khan emphasized upon the early finalisation of arrangements for trade in local currencies and setting up of an SCO Fund and an SCO Development Bank to catalyze the trans-regional development agenda.
The prime minister said Pakistan is an attractive investment destination and a large market endowed with a rich array of resources.
The premier said the predominantly young population of Pakistan is imbued with immense energy and creativity. “Our other endowments include a vast pool of skilled human resource, a large agrarian base, tremendous tourism potential, diverse mineral wealth, and a developed IT infrastructure.”
He said Pakistan built its partnerships based on mutual respect, sovereign equality and equal benefit. Imran said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which he noted was “the flagship project of President Xi’s far-sighted Belt and Road Initiative”, is fast reaching fruition.
“Gwadar Port, at its southern end, marks the only point of convergence of the maritime Belt and the overland Road.” —