India faces embarrassment as SCO condemns terrorism in Balochistan

Delhi refuses to sign SCO joint document

BEIJING: Pakistan achieved a major diplomatic success at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, but India faced embarrassment as it failed to link the Pahalgam incident to Pakistan in the joint statement issued after the meeting of defence ministers. India also refused to sign the joint declaration.
The Indian delegation persistently lobbied to include condemnation of Pakistan in the statement, but delegations from member states refused to support India’s position. Instead, the SCO’s joint statement condemned terrorism in Balochistan.
The meeting was hosted by China in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao and included the defense ministers of Iran, Russia, Pakistan, Belarus, and others. The summit took place at a time of ongoing conflict in the Middle East and growing defense spending commitments among NATO countries in Europe.
Pakistan was represented by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while India was represented by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Both ministers were seated at the same table; however, no bilateral meeting was scheduled between them.
Asif said that Pakistan condemned the terrorist attack in the internationally recognised disputed and illegally occupied region of IIOJK and said: “We call upon all states to hold these states to account who planned, financed and sponsored terrorist attacks such as Jaffar Express in Balochistan”. In this regard, he urged for the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue, mediation, and preventive diplomacy.
This session was held under the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which Beijing has long promoted as an alternative platform to Western-led power blocs. China emphasised enhancing political, security, trade, and scientific cooperation among member states.
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun welcomed the summit, describing it as an attempt to bring balance to a chaotic and unstable global environment.
He stated that the world is undergoing rapid and significant changes. Unilateral policies, protectionism, and aggressive, hegemonic behavior are severely damaging the international order. He urged the participants to take more effective steps to jointly safeguard an environment of peaceful development.
Rajnath Singh, in his address, said SCO member states must collectively respond to the expectations and challenges of their peoples. He acknowledged that the world is undergoing major changes and that the globalisation which once brought nations closer is now slowing down.
During a meeting with Dong, Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov described relations with China as historically exceptional and said friendly ties between the two countries are progressing in all fields.–Agencies