Ali Muhammad Khan
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic and international security organisation. It is the world largest regional organization covering approximately 60% of the area of Eurasia and 40% of the world population. This organisation was formed in Shanghai on June 15, 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Pakistan was formally admitted as full member of the SCO on 9th June 2017 at the 17th meeting of heads of state council of SCO in Astana, Kazakhstan. Pakistan inclusion was termed as an important foreign policy milestone as it strengthened its cooperation with SCO member states and made it play a role for regional stability Recently, SCO foreign minister’s meeting held in Goa on 4th and 5th of May, 2023. Pakistan’s foreign minister attended the conference. This was the first visit of the Pakistan’s top diplomat to India after 12years. The visit, as per the Foreign Office, did not in any way reflect a change in Pakistan’s principled position on Kashmir issue, but still faced much criticism from within the country. However, Pakistan’s participation in the summit was a reflection of its commitment to SCO’s vision of cooperation and that has been repeatedly endorsed by the foreign minister. He even started his speech in the meeting by saying there couldn’t be a more powerful indication of the importance that Pakistan attaches to the SCO, then my presence here in Goa for this Conference! Moreover, foreign minister Bilawal again termed his visit positive and productive while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs. He said that a lot of work was done by foreign ministry to evolve consensus over joining the meeting and it was unanimously decided to attend it. He added that one of the main points that had been considered before participation was that the China, the all-weather friend of Pakistan, and Russia were the founders of this organization. Hence, by skipping the SCO summit Pakistan would have risked losing the power within the organisation, which is dominated by Sino–Russia. Therefore, the foreign minister’s move may not be mistaken as a compromise on the Kashmir issue. The visit was solely a regional imperative for Pakistan, not a bilateral one.
