SCO condemns Pahalgam attack
Says double-standards to fight terrorism unacceptable
Tianjin (China): The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Monday strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and concurred with India’s position that “double standards” in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable.
The influential grouping listed its strong resolve to combat terrorism in a declaration that was unveiled at the end of its two-day annual summit, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and many other global leaders.
The SCO said it recognised the leading role of sovereign states and their competent authorities in countering terrorist and extremist threats.
The SCO member states also condemned the military strikes by Israel in Gaza, as it has led to numerous casualties among the civilian population and a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Strip.
The declaration said the member states noted the role of the SCO in restoring the global economy, maintaining the stability of global production and supply chains, and ensuring further sustainable development.
The SCO’s affirmation comes amid the Trump administration’s tariff tussle.
The declaration said the member states support the further improvement and reform of the global economic governance architecture and will consistently uphold and strengthen an open, transparent, fair, inclusive, non-discriminatory and multilateral trading system based on rules promoting the development of an open global economy.
The declaration mentioned ways to enhance regional security and identified combating terrorism as a major challenge.
“The member states strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22,” it said.
The SCO member states also condemned the terror attacks in Khuzdar and on Jaffer Express, both in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
“They (member states) expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded. They further stated that perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice,” according to the declaration.
It said the SCO, while reaffirming their firm commitment to the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism, stress the inadmissibility of attempts to use terrorist, separatist and extremist groups for “mercenary purposes”.
“The member states strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, stress that double standards in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, and call on the international community to combat terrorism, including cross-border movement of terrorists,” it said.
The SCO said the UN has the central role to fully implement the relevant UN Security Council resolution and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in accordance with the UN Charter and the principles of international law, in order to jointly combat all terrorist groups.
The SCO member states also strongly condemned the military strikes by Israel and the US against Iran in June.
“Such aggressive actions against civilian targets, including nuclear energy infrastructure, which resulted in the death of civilians, are a gross violation of the principles and norms of international law and the UN Charter, and an infringement on the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the declaration said.
“They undermine regional and international security and have serious implications for global peace and stability,” it said.
