Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is currently chairing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad, has called for the expansion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”.
During the summit, Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized the need to focus on developing road, rail, and digital infrastructure to expand flagship projects like the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. He stressed the importance of viewing such projects beyond narrow political perspectives and investing in collective connectivity capacity to advance the shared vision of an economically integrated region.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz addressed poverty, climate change, and regional financial architecture, highlighting the moral imperative of addressing poverty and the need for collective efforts to uplift the quality of life for people within the SCO region. He also emphasized the devastating impact of climate change, citing Pakistan’s losses due to the 2022 floods, and called for bolstering disaster preparedness across the region.
In addition, Prime Minister Shehbaz called for the endorsement of a strategy for the development of Energy Cooperation 2030 and the establishment of the Association of Investors. He stressed the importance of reforming the global financial architecture and trade regimes to foster equitable global development and expressed Pakistan’s support for the establishment of an SCO alternative development funding mechanism.
The summit, attended by leaders from SCO member states, aims to address key issues related to economic collaboration, trade, and regional connectivity within the Eurasian political and security bloc. Throughout the day, various activities, including official luncheons and media briefings, are planned, with a focus on forging concrete action plans that will benefit SCO economies and societies.
