Says treaties governing shared waters are solemn, binding international commitments, must be honoured unconditionally
PM Shehbaz addressing the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan today
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said water was the “lifeblood” of the region and must never be weaponised.
“It must never be weaponised. It cannot be used as an instrument of coercion, nor can it ever be exploited for political leverage,” Prime Minister Shehbaz said while addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek.
The premier said treaties governing shared waters were “solemn, binding international commitments” and “must be honoured unconditionally in both letter and spirit”.
He said Pakistan remained committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes, international law and the principles enshrined in the UN and SCO charters.
“In such a complex environment, the SCO represents our collective resolve to navigate through these enormous challenges together and deliver peace, security and prosperity to our peoples,” PM Shehbaz said.
He said Pakistan “consistently upholds and respects the core principles of both the UN and SCO Charters” and remained committed to resolving disputes peacefully through international law.
The prime minister said Pakistan had “staunchly advocated peace” when the sovereignty and territorial integrity of an SCO member state was violated earlier this year, triggering a major regional crisis.
“The closure of critical energy supply routes due to this crisis has disrupted the global economy,” he said, adding that Pakistan, along with the international community, had “borne a heavy economic cost”.
PM Shehbaz said Pakistan had consistently acted as “an honest and sincere mediator and facilitator”, with its diplomatic efforts culminating in the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
He described the agreement as “a critical step towards regional de-escalation and the restoration of peace” and said, “We firmly believe that the Islamabad MOU offers the most viable and enduring pathway to lasting peace in our region.”
The prime minister expressed gratitude to countries for their support for Pakistan’s peace-building efforts.
The premier also said Pakistan had recently signed the Trilateral Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, stressing that it was “fundamentally defensive in nature” and “neither directed against any state nor intended to create any confrontation or division whatsoever”.
On Gaza and the West Bank, he said the plight of innocent people “continues unabated, causing unimaginable suffering”.
“The international community must honour its commitment to help the Palestinian people, alongside all other oppressed nations, secure their fundamental right to self-determination,” PM Shehbaz said.
On terrorism, the prime minister said it remained “one of the greatest threats that has affected our entire region in its various forms and manifestations”.
He said Pakistan, as chair of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure, had worked to strengthen regional counter-terrorism cooperation.
“Few nations have fought against the scourge of terrorism as resolutely and valiantly as Pakistan,” he said, adding that over the past two and a half decades, Pakistan had sacrificed more than 90,000 lives and suffered economic losses of more than $150 billion in combating terrorism.
“These sacrifices were not for Pakistan alone. They were to ensure a safer and more secure region and beyond,” he said.
On Afghanistan, PM said Pakistan sought “a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan”, but added: “Let there be no ambiguity so long as terrorists continue to use Afghan territory to shed the blood of innocent Pakistanis and other nationals. Lasting peace will remain beyond our reach.”
The prime minister said the SCO region was home to more than 3 billion people and had abundant natural resources, placing an “extraordinary responsibility” on its leaders to shape a better future.
“For years, I have strongly advocated regional connectivity as the key to our prosperity,” he said. “Today, connectivity is no longer a choice. It is a strategic imperative.”
He said diversified transport networks, secure energy corridors and resilient supply chains would help strengthen security and regional connectivity.
PM Shehbaz called for implementation of the SCO Development Strategy until 2035 and said the establishment of the SCO Development Bank would be “a critical step in this regard”.
As Pakistan assumed the SCO chairmanship, he said the country was proposing an action plan prioritising IT and artificial intelligence, energy development and poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports.
“In IT and AI, we propose to establish an SCO sovereign AI infrastructure and governance framework to promote responsible and inclusive AI development and also ensure that no member state is left behind,” he said.
He said Pakistan’s SCO chairmanship would be pursued under the theme: “Turning Vision into Action, Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity.”
“We undertake this responsibility with humility, hope and abiding faith that connectivity will bring our peoples closer, innovation will open new doors of opportunity and shared prosperity will reach every home,” PM Shehbaz said.
He urged SCO members to choose “cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over diversion and division, bridges over barriers and hope over fear”.
“Let history record that the SCO did not merely witness a changing world, we shaped it together,” he said.
