Page 8 - The Indian EYE 102524

NATION OCTOBER 25, 2024 | The Indian Eye 8

SCO MEETING IN PAKISTAN

Jaishankar corners Islamabad over “terrorism,

extremism and separatism” at global meet

Indian minister takes a veiled jibe at Pakistan to state that nefarious activities across borders are

“hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel”

Alliance promotes renewable energy.
OUR BUREAU
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient
Islamabad Infrastructure prepares us for climate
events. Mission LiFE advocates a sus-
xternal Affairs Minister S Jais- tainable life-style.”
hankar has called for introspec-
Etion if friendship between the
two nations has fallen short or good “India taking lead in
neighbourliness is missing. making sure a multipolar
world should be born”
In his address at the 23rd Meet-
ing of the SCO Council of Heads est Asia Strategist Waiel
Awwad stated that India
of Government in Islamabad, Whas been taking the lead
Jaishankar said, “If we fast-for- towards the birth of a multipolar
world and highlighted the presence
ward from the inception of the of India and the rest of the South in
Charter to the situation today, such forums like the SCO.
Speaking on Wednesday, Aw-
these goals and these tasks are wad noted the Shanghai expansions
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar being received by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz
even more crucial. It is, there- Sharif on his arrival at the venue of the 23rd Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization as well as the BRICS expansion,
providing a clear indication of how
fore, essential that we have an (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting, in Islamabad on Wednesday (ANI) the South wants to have its voice. “I
honest conversation.” think India is taking the lead in mak-
extremism and separatism, they are the SCO Charter, Jaishankar said, ing sure that this sort of multipolar
Jaishankar arrived in the neigh- “hardly likely to encourage trade, “But most of all, our endeavours will world should be born and where In-
bouring country on Tuesday for a two- energy flows, connectivity and peo- progress only when our commitment dia and the rest of the South country
can be present in that forum. And
day visit to attend the 23rd Meeting ple-to-people exchanges in parallel.” to the Charter remains firm. It is axi- we noticed that of the Shanghai ex-
of the SCO Council of Heads of Gov- “We all realize that the world is omatic that development and growth pansions and also a core organisa-
ernment. The two-day SCO Meeting moving towards multi-polarity. Glo- requires peace and stability. And as tion expansion, and also the BRICS
is being chaired by Pakistan’s Prime balization and rebalancing are realities the Charter spelt out, this means being expansion, that’s also a clear indica-
Minister Sharif as the current chair of that cannot be denied. Cumulatively, firm and uncompromising in counter- tion that the South wanted to have
the Council. they have created many new oppor- ing the ‘three evils’. If activities across its voice,” he said.
“If trust is lacking or cooperation tunities in terms of trade, investment, borders are characterized by terror-
He also lauded External Af-
inadequate, if friendship has fallen connectivity, energy flows and other ism, extremism and separatism, they fairs Minister S Jaishankar’s ad-
short and good neighbourliness is forms of collaboration. There is no are hardly likely to encourage trade, dress during the Shanghai Cooper-
missing somewhere, there are surely question that our region would benefit energy flows, connectivity and peo- ation Organisation meeting of the
reasons to introspect and causes to ad- immensely if we take this forward. Not ple-to-people exchanges in parallel.” Council of Heads of Government in
dress. Equally, it is only when we reaf- just that, others too would draw their Jaishankar said that India’s ini- Islamabad, where the EAM termed
firm our commitment most sincerely own inspiration and lessons from such tiatives and national endeavours are cross-border terrorism, extremism
to the Charter that we can fully realize efforts,” he said in his address. “strongly relevant” for the Shanghai and separatism as the “three evils”
the benefits of cooperation and inte- “However, to do that, cooperation Cooperation Organisation (SCO). that hinder trade and travel as well
gration that it envisages,” he added. must be based on mutual respect and He said that the International Solar as people-to-people relations be-
He termed cross-border terror- sovereign equality. It should recognize Alliance promotes renewable energy
ism, extremism and separatism as the territorial integrity and sovereignty. It while the Global Biofuel Alliance rec- tween countries.
Awwad highlighted the ongo-
“three evils” that hinder trade and must be built on genuine partnerships, ognizes the task of energy transition. ing conflicts, particularly in Rus-
people-to-people relations between not unilateral agendas. It cannot prog- Elaborating on India’s initiatives, sia-Ukraine, West Asia and the
countries. ress if we cherry-pick global practices, he said, “From an Indian perspective, Middle East, and said that it was
He took a veiled jibe at Pakistan especially of trade and transit,” the our own global initiatives and national
to state that if activities across bor- External Affairs Minister said. endeavours are also strongly relevant crucial for such forums as the SCO
to address and express such issues.
ders are characterised by terrorism, Calling for firm commitment to for the SCO. The International Solar

www.TheIndianEYE.com