SCO Summit: A Defining Moment for Pakistan
Shazia Mehboob
Islamabad: As Islamabad prepares to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit on October 15-16, Pakistan finds itself at a critical juncture both regionally and globally.
This high-level gathering, set against a backdrop of political unrest and security challenges, offers a unique opportunity for Pakistan to solidify its role as a leader in fostering regional cooperation, bolstering trade, and enhancing socio-economic and cultural linkages among member states.
This summit, bringing together heads of government from SCO member states, will not only address pressing regional issues but also amplify Pakistan’s significance on the global stage.
With dignitaries like Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, expected to attend, Pakistan must ensure the event’s success by overcoming internal political and security hurdles.
While Islamabad pulls out all the stops to organize a flawless summit, including implementing stringent security measures, it faces a politically charged atmosphere. The jailing of opposition leader Imran Khan and the crackdown on his supporters have fueled tensions, and recent security incidents—such as the deadly attack on Chinese engineers in Karachi—have heightened concerns.
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The safety of foreign delegates, particularly from China, whose nationals have been frequent targets of non-state actors, is a top priority. Pakistan’s ability to manage these internal and external challenges will define the success of the summit and its global perception.
Geopolitically, the significance of this summit cannot be overstated. As the world grapples with crises such as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the SCO offers a critical platform for regional leaders to address global challenges.
Iran’s participation adds another layer of complexity, especially with the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Palestine and Lebanon.
The global community will watch closely to see how SCO leaders, including those from Pakistan, address these conflicts and assert their positions.
The SCO, established in 1996, has consistently played a vital role in addressing security, economic, and environmental challenges. This summit, representing nearly 40 percent of the global population and 32 percent of the world’s GDP, provides a crucial avenue for Pakistan to shape its economic and investment future.
With the presence of China, Russia, and other central Asian states, the summit could unlock doors for enhanced trade, energy corridors, and potential partnerships in Pakistan’s mining, mineral, and hydropower sectors.
For Pakistan, this is more than just a diplomatic event—it is a chance to leverage its strategic location and natural resources to attract foreign investment. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has already enhanced the country’s significance in the region, and this summit offers an ideal platform to showcase its potential for foreign investors.
Despite external forces attempting to diplomatically isolate Pakistan, hosting the summit amid volatile security conditions is a significant achievement, underscoring the nation’s resilience and capacity to maintain regional leadership.
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Beyond security and diplomacy, the summit’s agenda includes pressing issues like climate change, counterterrorism, and trade. As Pakistan grapples with the devastating impacts of climate change, it is well-positioned to advocate for stronger regional cooperation in addressing this global challenge.
With billions in the region affected by environmental shifts, a collaborative approach to improving agricultural production, food security, and economic stability is essential.
The SCO’s commitment to regional security is evident in its focus on military cooperation and joint exercises aimed at combating terrorism, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and other organized crime.
Discussions on poverty alleviation and unemployment also highlight the organization’s commitment to improving the well-being of its citizens. These are issues of profound importance to Pakistan, which has faced its own struggles with terrorism and socio-economic instability.
For Pakistan, the summit represents a golden opportunity to advocate for its strategic interests and build stronger economic ties with its neighbors. By effectively articulating its viewpoints and collaborating with its neighbors, Pakistan can help build a cohesive framework for addressing both immediate concerns and long-term strategic goals.
In a nutshell, the SCO summit could be a defining moment for Pakistan—an opportunity to reposition itself as a vital regional connector and chart a course towards a brighter, more prosperous future. With the world watching, it’s up to Pakistan to seize this moment and turn diplomatic potential into tangible progress for its citizens and the region at large.
Shazia Mehboob is a PhD scholar and a visiting faculty member. She is also a freelance journalist and the founder of The PenPK.com. You can follow her on Twitter @thepenpk.
Nice reading. Hope this international level summit under the prevalent politically charged environments takes place smoothly by amicable whole inclusive approach by the government & jailed opposition party. The people of Pakistan pray & demand that all will rise above the petty politics in the national interest being keenly viewed by the well aware public. Pakistan Zindabad.
A very well article piece . Indeed, SCO summit presents Pakistan an opportunity to draw closer to countries in its immediate region . The presence of Russia, China, India and Iran makes it an interesting melting pot of diplomacy.
USA would be monitoring closely the conversations and outcomes with some consternation and not without a reason. Any regional closeness of these actors would not be in the interest of USA.
Indeed, Pakistan’s internal political and economic crisis with heavy dependency on IMF bailouts would make it difficult for it to reap the full benefits, it can’t been seen rubbing shoulders too closely with Russia and Iran.
The outcome will be fascinating if we ever get to know.
Excellent, well argued and articulated article about the SCO Conference taking place in Islamabad. The suggestions added to the article are positive and practical for breaking ice and improving relations arising from the longstanding enmity between India and Pakistan. However, this is a forum where mainly the issues concerned with declining economies in some member states and deteriorating environment should have the top priority for discussing and cooperating with each other to find possible solutions; hence the political dialogue could deliberately be avoided.
Therefore, any improvement in the relationship between the two neighbours seems improbable in the near future until and unless the core issues of Kashmir and water distribution are resolved peacefully. Unfortunately, the peoples of both contries who live much below poverty line will have to continue to sffer in pain.