• No interaction with Ajit as SCO summit concludes
• Russian security official invites Moeed to Moscow for full-scale dialogue

ISLAMABAD: National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf said Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including state terrorism against people under illegal occupation.

“Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism, planned, supported and sponsored from across its borders, which unfortunately remains a reality even today. It has at its roots, actors, who may present themselves as advocates of global cooperation against terrorism, but in reality perpetuate it to create instability in our country and the region,” Dr Yusuf said while addressing the 16th meeting of the national security advisers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Wednesday.

On the occasion, the member states, including Pakistan and India, issued a joint protocol signed by all the NSAs. However, NSA Dr Yusuf did not meet his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval in Dushanbe.

Dr Yusuf said terrorism should not be associated with any race, religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group. He explained Pakistan’s vision for itself was that of a melting pot for positive global interests.

In his formal statement, the adviser said Pak­istan’s main priorities of generating greater economic activity, reducing unemployment and poverty alleviation were all in sync with the SCO direction. He told the NSAs’ meeting that failure to attain peace in Afghanistan was the most immediate challenge facing the SCO at present. Pakistan, as a country has historically been most affected.

On the sidelines of the two-day SCO summit that concluded on Wednesday, Dr Yusuf in a meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Platonovich Patrushev discussed issues of mutual interest and expressed satisfaction on the progress of Pakistan-Russia bilateral relations.

Mr Patrushev later extended a special invitation to Dr Yusuf to visit Moscow for holding a full-scale bilateral dialogue.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2021