Islamabad:Khalil-ur-Rehman Hashmi, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, has emphasised Pakistan’s strong commitment to the and extremism, ensuring peace and security, and advancing sustainable development.
Khalil was speaking as guest of honour at a seminar on ‘China year 2025: upholding the ‘Shanghai Spirit’ hosted by Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) here Friday.
Khalil highlighted the SCO’s growing significance as a leading regional organsation built on the values of mutual trust, equality, dialogue and shared development embodied in the “Shanghai Spirit.” He noted that under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, the SCO gained fresh momentum with an enhanced focus on cooperation, connectivity, digital transformation and green development. He underlined the centrality of CPEC as not only a bilateral undertaking but also a bridge for wider SCO regional integration. Reaffirming the “iron brotherhood” between Pakistan and China as the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy, he expressed confidence that the upcoming Tianjin Summit would renew collective commitments to regional peace, prosperity and the “Shanghai Spirit.”
Farhat Ayesha, Pakistan’s National Coordinator for SCO, in her keynote address, noted that SCO’s “China Year 2025” marked a defining moment in the organisation’s trajectory. She praised China’s far-sighted approach and active role in constructive engagement, dialogue and cooperation within the SCO framework. She stressed that China’s leadership strengthened the SCO’s standing as a vital multilateral platform and expanded its scope towards new areas such as poverty reduction, climate resilience, digital economy and connectivity. She underlined Pakistan’s strong commitment to the SCO since becoming a full member in 2017 and highlighted the deep alignment between Pakistan’s foreign policy objectives and the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, the SCO Charter and international law.
Babar Amin, Pakistan’s former National Coordinator for SCO, highlighted China’s instrumental role in facilitating Pakistan’s integration into the SCO and noted the upcoming Tianjin Summit as the largest-ever gathering of SCO members. He appreciated China’s efforts in advancing cooperation aligned with President Xi Jinping’s Global Development Initiative, covering poverty alleviation, food security, health, climate change, industrialization, digital economy and connectivity.
Dr MA Bin from Fudan University China, underlined that the SCO was entering a new era amidst heightened geopolitical competition, stressing the importance of strengthening security, economic cooperation and people-to-people bonds, especially youth engagement.
Dr Ma Zheng from Sun Yat-sen University, China, emphasised the four pillars of SCO’s development — security, mutual development, neighborly relations and fairness in international affairs — and lauded China’s central role in shaping the organisation’s trajectory.
Dr Hassan Daud Butt from Behria University noted the SCO’s resilience in a fragmenting global order and welcomed the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace pact as a step toward enhancing regional connectivity.
Earlier, Dr Talat Shabbir, Director, ISSI, underscored the SCO’s enduring relevance in ensuring regional stability, fostering economic cooperation, and strengthening cultural linkages.
Sohail Mahmood, Director General, ISSI, also spoke on the occasion.