After PM Modi’s warning at SCO summit, Pak’s Shehbaz Sharif slams use of terrorism for ‘diplomatic point-scoring’
Shortly after prime minister Narendra Modi’s pointed message at the 23rd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation – at which he called out (but did not name) countries that ‘use cross-border terrorism as an instrument… and give shelter to terrorists’ – Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif warned against the use of terrorism as a ‘bat for diplomatic point-swearing’.
Sharif also spoke about terrorism as a ‘hydra-headed monster’ to be fought with ‘full conviction’ irrespective of its source.
“Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including state terrorism, must be condemned in clear and unambiguous terms. There can be no justification for the killing of innocent people regardless of the cause or pretext,” he said at a virtual meet hosted by India. Sharif called on the SCO to take ‘concerted and immediate actions… both in their national and collective capacity, to combat them’.
The Pakistani leader also declared that sacrifices made by his countrymen and women – in fighting against terrorism – were without parallel but acknowledged the evil continues to plague the region and is a ‘serious obstacle’ to regional peace and stability.
What did PM Modi say?
Sharif’s remarks came after Modi labelled terrorism a ‘threat to regional and global peace’ and urged SCO leaders to not shy away from taking to task those countries that offer support of any kind.
“Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of their policies and give shelter to terrorists. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such countries. SCO countries should condemn it. There should be no double standards on terrorism,” he said.
“We do not see the SCO as an extended neighbourhood, but rather as an extended family. Security, economic development, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and environmental protection are the pillars of our vision for SCO,” Modi added.
The summit was also attended by Russia president Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping.
About the summit
The SCO was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined in 2017. The eight-member regional political and security bloc is seen as trying to counter Western influence in Eurasia.