Bishkek: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that enduring peace and prosperity in South Asia will remain elusive until the main dynamics in the region is shifted from “confrontation to cooperation”.
Addressing the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit here, Khan said the South Asia continues to be challenged by common enemies, including poverty, illiteracy, disease and under-development.
“Enduring peace and prosperity in South Asia will remain elusive until the main dynamic in South Asia is shifted from confrontation to cooperation,” Khan was quoted as saying by the state-run Radio Pakistan.
The “political differences and unresolved disputes further compound the predicament,” the prime minister said.
“It is important to seize the opportunities for peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes and collective endeavours for regional prosperity,” he said.
Khan also said that Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including “state-terrorism against people under illegal occupation.”
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India and Afghanistan accuse Pakistan of providing safe haven to the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and other militant groups, which carry out attacks in the two neighbouring countries.
Khan, who has made public statements in recent months affirming his resolve not to allow Pakistan’s soil to be used against any other country, said his country remains ready to share its experience and expertise in counter terrorism.
“We are among the few countries to have successfully turned the tide against terrorism,” he said, adding that Pakistan will remain actively engaged in SCO’s counter-terrorism initiatives.
Referring to the Afghan peace talks, Khan said there is finally a realisation that the conflict in Afghanistan has no military solution.
Pakistan is fully supporting efforts for peace and reconciliation, through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process, he added.