Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will visit Russia on July 9 (Thursday) to attend meetings of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), providing him an opportunity to interact with regional leaders.
Prime Minister will lead the Pakistani delegation in two day visit to Russian city Ufa at the SCO meeting of the Heads of State Council. It is very vital meeting as it will consider applications for the full membership to the grouping.
The SCO is an important organization founded in Shanghai in 2001. Its members include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Mongolia have observer status. Pakistan has been making substantive contribution to regional peace, security and development in its capacity as an Observer State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the SCO would provide Pakistan and India a platform to work together and increase mutual trust. “I am optimistic about the fact that SCO membership will play a role of a catalyst that will help improve our bilateral relationship with India based on the principles of cooperation and will bring [the countries] mutual benefit,” Sharif told in an interview.
Today would be the first day of three day long SCO and BRICS group summits, where, according to sources in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi is likely to hold a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart. India and Pakistan’s admission to the SCO will play an important role in the SCO’s development it will play a constructive role in pushing for the improvement of their bilateral relations.
Using the platform of SCO, Prime Minister should make the world leaders realize about the sacrifices Pakistan has rendered fighting monster of terror, and country’s stance of peaceful relations with neighboring and regional countries.
