• Hopes upcoming SCO meeting will help cement regional economic ties
• Saudi delegation due in Pakistan tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday urged the Taliban regime to focus on fighting the terrorist groups that continue to threaten the security of Afghanistan and its neighbours.

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch at her briefing rejected an accusation that the terrorists involved in attacks in Bamyan and Kabul had been trained in Balochistan.

She said the fact is that the Afghan authorities are unable to control the terrorist groups, adding that instead of pointing fingers elsewhere, they should focus on fighting these groups that continue to act with impunity inside Afghanistan, threatening the security of the entire region.

To another question, the spokesperson said Pakistan believes it is important for the two sides to take confidence building measures that contribute to the enhancement of trade and mutually beneficial cooperation.

SCO meeting

Ms Baloch stated that the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Orga­nisation (SCO) will strengthen regio­­nal economic ties and socio-cultural exchanges. CHG, which is the second highest forum in SCO, is meeting in Islamabad from Oct 15 to 16.

She announced that regional leaders from SCO member states will convene to explore enhanced economic cooperation, trade, environmental collaboration, and socio-cultural linkages.

The meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is seen as a critical opportunity for SCO countries to strengthen their collective responses to shared challenges like trade, environment, and regional security, and to adopt measures that could boost intra-regional development.

“We anticipate high-level participation from SCO member states, the observer state of Mongolia, and special guest Turkmenistan, along with representatives from international organisations including the Conference on Interaction and Confi­dence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Commonwealth of Indepen­dent States (CIS), and the European Economic Community (EEC),” Ms Baloch said.

The meeting is also expected to adopt significant organisational decisions and approve the budget for the SCO.

Saudi delegation

A high-level Saudi delegation, led by Minister for Investment Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, is set to visit Pakistan from Oct 9 to 11.

The delegation will meet President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to boost economic ties between the two countries.

“The visit comes as a follow-up to the understanding reached between Prime Minister Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in April to enhance bilateral economic cooperation,” Ms Baloch said.

The Saudi delegation is expected to include representatives from both government agencies and the private sector, signalling a broadening of Pakistan-Saudi economic partnerships.

Israeli attacks in Gaza

Marking a year since Israel’s war on Gaza, Pakistan expressed deep concern over the ongoing violence, condemning recent Israeli airstrikes on civilian areas, including schools, mosques, and refugee camps. “We honour the 42,000 lives lost, overwhelmingly women and children,” she said, highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The spokesperson condemned the latest Israeli strikes on Khalifa Ben Zayed school in northern Gaza, a mosque in Deir Al Balah, and refugee camps in Jabalia and Tulkarm, which resulted in civilian casualties, calling them “egregious war crimes”.

She reiterated Pakistan’s call for the United Nations Security Council to impose an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

“Israel shall be held accountable for its war crimes and crimes against humanity,” she added.

Pakistan remains deeply concerned about the starvation and genocide of the people of Gaza, she said. The past year has seen Israel’s indiscriminate and horrifying attacks on civilian targets, including hospitals, schools, and shelters. The latest attacks, she reminded, represent egregious war crimes being committed by Israeli occupation forces with impunity.

“As we reflect on the last year of the conflict, we call upon the UN Security Council to act decisively and impose an immediate and permanent ceasefire protecting the people of Gaza. Israel shall be held accountable for its war crimes and crimes against humanity,” she maintained.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2024