ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presented a compelling case at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for collective action by member countries to combat the ravages of climate change, the Pakistani foreign office said on Saturday.
The gathering of Council of Heads of State (CHS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) comprising China, Russia, four Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan — India and Pakistan took place in Samarkand on September 15 and 16.
During the summit, regional leaders adopted the Samarkand Declaration which articulated collective stance of the SCO on important global and regional issues.
PM Sharif’s statement at the summit conveyed Pakistan’s vision for strategic direction of the SCO in the face of global political and economic transformation.
“The Prime Minister presented a compelling case for collective action by SCO countries to combat the ravages of climate change. He shared details of the human tragedy and the massive devastation caused by the climate calamity that struck Pakistan,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.
“The Prime Minister expressed deep appreciation for the support proffered by SCO leaders for relief and assistance to the people affected by the floods. SCO leaders expressed their support and solidarity with Pakistan at this critical time.”
The regional summit came at a time when Pakistan is reeling from the aftermath of torrential rains and floods, which experts have blamed on climate change.
The deluges have killed more than 1,500 people, washed away livestock and swathes of crops, and destroyed key infrastructure across the South Asian nation, where officials say the losses could go as high as $40 billion.
The Uzbek president, on behalf of the SCO, appealed to the international community to support Pakistan in overcoming the devastating consequences of the floods, the Pakistani foreign office said.
On the situation in Afghanistan, the prime minister underlined that there was a real possibility to establish sustainable peace in the land-locked country after 40 years of conflict, according to the statement.
He called for a new pact between Afghanistan and the international community and the need for constructive engagement with the Afghan authorities.
On the sidelines of the SCO Summit, PM Sharif met with the presidents of China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Turkiye.
The foreign office said the prime minister’s participation in the Samarkand summit provided a significant opportunity to present Pakistan’s view point on important national, regional and global issues.
The engagements with world leaders in Samarkand served to further strengthen Islamabad’s bilateral relations with these countries, it added.
