ISLAMABAD    -      Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said yesterday that
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was significant
in supplementing the vision of
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) aimed at ensuring
shared prosperity through regional connectivity and integration. Addressing at the 21st virtual Meeting of the Council of
Heads of Government (CHG) of
the SCO in Beijing, the foreign
minister said the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) would build greater
connectivity across SCO region
and help unlock the political
and economic potential of intra-SCO cooperation. The meeting was virtually hosted by China, as the current Chair of the
SCO-CHG. The heads of government of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan as well as representatives from SCO observer states
attended the meeting. The foreign minister emphasised the
importance of enhancing economic and trade cooperation between SCO member states. Reaffirming the importance Pakistan
attaches to SCO, the foreign minister highlighted actions taken by Pakistan under various
agreements and projects for advancing regional cooperation
based on principles enunciated
in the ‘Shanghai Spirit’. Sharing
Pakistan’s experience of several successful initiatives to alleviate poverty, the foreign minister also announced that the
first meeting of the SCO Special
Working Group on Poverty Alleviation would be held in Islamabad in December. Thanking
the SCO countries for expressing solidarity with and extending support for the flood-affected people in Pakistan.