TIANJIN, CHINA: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Tianjin on Tuesday, where he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting regional stability, fostering multilateral collaboration, and supporting peaceful conflict resolution.

At the high-level forum, Ishaq Dar emphasized the SCO’s crucial role in maintaining stability amid global geopolitical challenges. He praised China for advancing the organization’s objectives and warmly welcomed Belarus as its newest full member.

The deputy prime minister strongly condemned Israel’s military operations in Gaza, calling them a “blatant violation of international principles” that have triggered a severe humanitarian crisis. He urged an immediate ceasefire and reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

The foreign minister also condemned the recent attacks on Iran, including U.S. strikes on nuclear facilities, and declared such actions against SCO member states as “unacceptable.”

Dar voiced concern over recent escalations in South Asia, citing the Pahalgam attack allegations that pushed Pakistan and a neighboring nuclear-armed state to the brink of conflict. He emphasized the need to resolve disputes through dialogue rather than coercion and urged both sides to engage in structured talks to address long-standing issues.

“Pakistan remains committed to ceasefire agreements and regional stability, but we cannot accept the normalization of arbitrary force,” he stated.

Ishaq Dar called for institutional reforms within the SCO, urging the adoption of English as a third official language and the strengthening of the Secretariat’s capabilities. He also emphasized the importance of economic collaboration, proposed increased use of national currencies to reduce the impact of global financial shocks, and supported the establishment of an alternative development funding mechanism.

He emphasized the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative, as essential for promoting regional connectivity and shared prosperity.

The deputy prime minister urged renewed engagement with Afghanistan through the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group and called for a unified strategy to combat terrorism, firmly rejecting its exploitation for political purposes. He also identified climate change as a critical global challenge and called for collective action to address it.

In closing, Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the “Shanghai Spirit” of mutual trust and cooperation. He urged member states to shape a future defined by collaboration rather than confrontation.

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