Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif underscored the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) issue at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) summit in China on Monday and called for “dialogue, diplomacy and consultation” instead of confrontation on all outstanding disputes.
The premier reached Tianjin on Saturday to attend the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) summit, which was being held from August 31 to September 1.
Apart from Pakistan, the SCO comprises of China, India, Russia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. Another 16 countries are affiliated with the organisation as observers or “dialogue partners”.
“We respect all international and bilateral treaties and expect similar principles to be followed by all SCO members,” said Shehbaz as the summit concluded today, referring to India’s unilateral move to the hold the IWT in abeyance in April.
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“Uninterrupted access to due share of water as per existing treaties among SCO members will strengthen the SCO and will support the achievement of broader goals for which the SCO was established,” he underscored. “We seek normal and stable relations with all our neighbours, guided by dialogue and diplomacy, consultation over confrontation.”
In April, after levelling unsubstantiated accusations on Pakistan for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people in Indian Ilegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), India held the IWT in abeyance. Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share as an “act of war”.
With regards to terorism and regional security, the PM noted that “extremely disturbing events” had occurred in recent months.
“Those who have long used terrorism to advance political interests must realise that the world no longer buys fictitious narratives,” he said. Shehbaz stressed that Pakistan had “lost more than 90,000 valuable lives — mothers, doctors, citizens, officers and soldiers — and endured economic losses of $152 billion [in the war against terror]”.
He strongly condemned terrorism attacks and asserted that Pakistan has “irrefutable evidence” of foreign involvement in the Jaffar Express hijacking in Balochistan, during which militants held over 440 passengers hostage in March this year, as well as in numerous other attacks in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Pakistan has rendered great sacrifices “not only for itself but far beyond,” said Shehbaz, pledging an unwavering commitment to defeat terrorism in cooperation with SCO members and global partners.
The premier also called attention to the war in Gaza and condemned Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people. He reminded the summit that earlier this year Israel also carried out unprovoked military strikes in Iran – a fellow SCO member.
Shehbaz condemned Israel’s “unjustified agression” against Iran terming it “condemnable and unacceptable”.
He described the suffering and starvation in Gaza as a “festering wound on the collective conscience” and reiterated Pakistan’s call for “an immediate end to the gruesome violence and heartrending bloodshed”.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s backing for a UN-mandated two-state solution, calling for an independent State of Palestine on the 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
With regards to Afghanistan, Shehbaz said, peace and stability there was vital for regional security since the Taliban’s takeover.
“Afghanistan as an independent, neutral and peaceful state is not only in Pakistan’s interest but in the interest of the entire region,” he said, pointing to the recent Pakistan–China–Afghanistan trilateral dialogue and expressing hope for “positive results in the times to come”.
On floods and economic reforms
PM Shehbaz drew the summit’s attention to the ongoing floods in Pakistan and the devastation caused by unprecedented torrential rains and cloudbursts. He lamented the loss of human lives as well as the damage to infrastructure, property, crops and livestock.
“We deeply appreciate the international community’s, including China’s, solidarity, sympathy and support with us,” he said, lauding the “brave and resilient” Pakistani people for their rescue and rebuilding efforts.
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Boasting of “impressive economic recovery” in the past 18 months, Shehbaz said that Pakistan was “charting a new path of hope”. He cited reduced inflation, a current account surplus and a buoyant capital market as signs of stabilisation.
Outlining his Economic Transformation Plan, the premier said it was based on three pillars: boosting exports through trade-led growth, attracting foreign investment in agriculture, AI, minerals, energy and research, and generating revenue through tax reforms.
Empowering the youth, he emphasised, was central to this strategy. “Youth is both a challenge and an opportunity,” he said, stressing the need for productive employment and entrepreneurship.
On regional integration, Shehbaz underscored Pakistan’s role in promoting connectivity through land, air and rail corridors to secure supply chains. He described the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the “flagship of the Belt and Road Initiative” and “a practical demonstration of the SCO’s vision of regional connectivity and economic integration”.
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Concluding his address, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s “solemn and unwavering commitment to the SCO Charter and the noble values of the Shanghai spirit,” urging member states to “come together to promote peace, prosperity and progress in the entire region, even in bumpy and uncertain times”.
