The Shanghai Five was founded in 1996. Erstwhile the Shanghai Five was then renamed SCO in 2001. SCO is an intergovernmental organization that was established by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The main objective of establishing this organization is to safeguard regional peace, promote cooperation in political and cultural affairs, and work on education, tourism, and environmental protection. Through this setup, the countries sought to strengthen relations among themselves. Later expansion gave Pakistan and India a chance to get membership in 2017. In 2023, Iran became the ninth member state of the organization. The organization also includes many observer states – that ave the right to speak at the UN Assembly but not to vote on resolutions, Mongolia, Belarus, and Afghanistan, and 14 dialogue partners – within IORA refers to countries that are geographically not located in the Indian Ocean but still have interest in cooperating in the region, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Nepal, Cambodia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, Qatar, Saudia Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Myanmar, and UAE. The US applied for observer status in 2005 but was rejected. The official language of SCO is Russian and Chinese. It is the world’s largest regional organization by geography and population as it covers 80 percent of the Eurasian landmass and 40 percent of the world’s population. By Iran, SCO controls 20 percent of the World’s oil reserves and 44 percent of its natural gas. SCO is a key institution positioning itself as an alternative to Western-dominated international forums. At the 2005 SCO summit, Nursultan Nazarbayev president of Kazakhstan has been quoted saying “The leaders of states sitting at this negotiation table are representatives of half of humanity.” SCO is maintaining active partnership with many bodies including the UN, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and ASEAN.
SCO has two permanent bodies, the Secretariat in Beijing and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent and Uzbekistan. The Council Head of State (CHS) meets every year to discuss organizational objectives. CHS is supported by the Council Head of Government (CHG), which meets annually to discuss strategic initiatives and economic cooperation. Pakistan hosted the 23rd meeting of the Council of Head of Government (CHG) of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) from 15 to 16 October in Islamabad. The conference took place under high security due to political unrest and ongoing threats. The Pakistani government enhanced the beauty of Islamabad to welcome the esteemed upcoming guests. Moreover, during the SCO summit, the capital observed a complete lockdown.
In recent years, Pakistan has dealt with various problems like economic difficulties, political issues, and turmoil within the judiciary successfully organizing such a great and complex diplomatic event amid ongoing internal multiple challenges Pakistan showed itself not only an active member state engaged in global dialogues but also that it possesses the ability to lead initiatives that are regionally significant. The participation of high-level members signaled that Pakistan is an essential member in emphasizing the importance of diplomatic initiatives and promoting collaborative efforts.
China and Pakistan who are in very close relation with each other and are regional allies witnessed the incoming of the Chinese premier to Pakistan after 11 years. Following the attack in Karachi that killed two Chinese workers, Premier Li Qiang had a good reason to withdraw and send a representative of lower rank instead as a reaction, but he came himself because China is the one founding member of SCO and a good friend of Pakistan. Premier Li while attending this conference engaged in bilateral talks also reinforcing Beijing’s dedication to its relationship with Pakistan further giving a boost to the bilateral engagement.
Russia-Pakistan relations have warmed considerably over recent years, evolving from a period of cold war, counterterrorism, and energy cooperation. This relationship has been further strengthened by joint military exercises and trade agreements. After the trip visit of former Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Fardkov of Pakistan in 2007 this recent visit was significant as it again strengthened the mutual relations with each other, particularly in the areas of trade and energy exports. India’s external affairs Minister Jaishankar participated in the conference instead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also notable amid the disrupted ties between both countries. While his participation was a good signal both countries made it clear in advance that no cooperation would take place.
Overall, this summit has marked a significant triumph for Pakistan in various areas of economy, foreign relations, and regional security. Being a successful host for this high-level international summit demonstrated Pakistan as a prosperous and progressive nation standing at forefront of regional and global development. As the event locks with wealthy initiatives marked at the land of diplomatic bridges, we look forward to an evolving Pakistan which continues to strive for regional and global peace, development,t and stability.
Manahil Baz
Manahil Baz is a passionate researcher and graduate of International Relations from Bahria University Islamabad. With a focus on international relations and human rights especially those of marginalized communities, ethnic identities, terrorism, and social tensions, Manahil strives to contribute insightful perspectives to the global discourse on these critical issues and foster a positive change in the realm of global affairs.
