2018年CRI SCO membership significant to Pakistan’s development: experts

 

It has been one year since Pakistan became a full member country of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). A number of leading experts and analysts¹ of international affairs in Pakistan say the full membership upgrade has had a significant impact on Pakistan’s diplomatic affairs and overall development. 

00:00/03:48 Pakistan first became an observer of the SCO in 2005. At the organization’s last annual summit, which took place in the Kazakh capital Astana in June 2017, both Pakistan and India were accepted as full members. 

Khalid Taimur Akram is the executive director of Islamabad-based think tank the Center for Global and Strategic Studies. He said that the change in membership status for Pakistan had sent out an important diplomatic message. 

“The member upgrade from observer to full member is a message to the world that attempts to isolate² Pakistan diplomatically will not be fruitful, and Pakistan is siding with the right powers at this critical junction³ and is on the right side of the history,” explained Akram. Akram said because India is now also a full member of the SCO, Pakistan will have many opportunities to work on its relations with India through dialogue. 

That sentiment is echoed by Dr. Muhammad Munir, a research fellow with the Islamabad Policy Research Institute.“At the moment, the relationship between the two countries is not very good. But with the passage of time, there will be a lot of opportunities, because every six months, sometimes there will be head-of-state summits, and sometimes there will be head-of-government summits, so there will be a lot of opportunities for the two countries to meet and discuss their issues,” said Munir. 

Cooperation in counter-terrorism and counter-extremism has remained a main focus of the SCO. In late May, Pakistan successfully hosted a meeting of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, an organ of the SCO that aims to facilitate cooperation against the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism. The three-day meeting marked the first SCO-related event held in Pakistan since it obtained a full-member status. 

Munir pointed⁴ out that fighting terrorism is a shared responsibility of countries and that being a full member of the SCO means Pakistan, as a successful example in the area, can learn from other countries and also share its experience.  

“Pakistan has already developed all these mechanisms⁵ within the country. We have National Action Plan, we have NACTA - National Counter Terrorism Authority. With the becoming of a full member, Pakistan can also enhance its capability⁶, because there are many mechanisms within the SCO that can help and influence Pakistan’s capacity building of our security forces,”said Munir. 

Beyond security, promoting common economic development is another priority for the SCO, many of whose member or observer states, as well as dialogue partners, are also participating in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. 

Akram said a core belief in greater connectivity and multilateral cooperation would allow the SCO to help further promote the Belt and Road, as well as Pakistan’s economic development.“The SCO believes in economic globalization and regional integration⁷. That has stimulated⁸ a long potential for economic activity. We all know that the Belt and Road Initiative is a Chinese proposal, with the aim to promote peaceful cooperation and common development around the world. This cooperation is public, it is transparent⁹, and it is open. And it is bringing positive energy to world peace and development. Pakistan is moving forward with its ‘trade, not aid’ policy and has been pushing for greater connectivity,” said Akram. 

Akram also highlighted the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is a flagship program under the Belt and Road Initiative. Established in 2013, the CPEC consists of a number of massive infrastructure¹⁰ projects across Pakistan to better connect countries in the region. 

1 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

2 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

3 junction   

n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站

参考例句：

• There's a bridge at the junction of the two rivers.两河的汇合处有座桥。
• You must give way when you come to this junction.你到了这个路口必须让路。

4 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

5 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

7 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

8 stimulated   

a.刺激的

参考例句：

• The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。
• The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。

9 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。