Islamabad, 10th June, 2017: Senator Sehar Kamran (TI) has felicitated the nation on Pakistan attaining permanent membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). She said Islamabad’s membership of the SCO will not only enhance regional connectivity but will also strengthen peace in the region.
Senator Kamran said Pakistan has a lot to offer in this inter-regional alignment and can play a significant role in this regard. She said the location of Pakistan provides a safe passage and a gateway for trade to SCO member states, as well as the shortest and strategically most viable route. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) further strengthens Pakistan’s position as an effective conduit, she said.
Senator Sehar Kamran said Pakistan provides the shortest possible trade routes to Central Asia, Gulf States and Iran on the one hand, and the Russian and Chinese markets on the other. Furthermore she said the expansion of the SCO could play a positive role in facilitating the resolution of outstanding issues in Asia, such as the issue of Kashmir, while contributing to peace and prosperity in Afghanistan. The membership of the premiere organization will help Pakistan strengthen its relations with the Central Asian States.
Senator Kamran said today on this occasion when people are celebrating Pakistan’s inclusion into the organization, it must be remembered that it was Pakistan People’s Party who mainstreamed the country’s inclusion into the SCO. She said the personal contributions made by former President and Co-Chairman Mr Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Mr Yousaf Raza Gillani in this regard must be remembered and appreciated as it was only in 2011 under the PPP government that Russia for the first time supported Pakistan’s bid in the organization.