Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday, addressing a virtual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, emphasised that tackling terrorism and extremism must continue to be a priority, but terrorism-related allegations must not be used as a political tool to malign and victimise any country or religion.
The foreign minister called on the international community to condemn and hold accountable the perpetrators of state terrorism, including against people under illegal occupation.
He also stressed the importance of rejecting xenophobic ideologies including Islamophobia. The minister stressed on the need for unity and sense of purpose at an international level to triumph against the coronavirus pandemic. FM Qureshi observed that the world was fighting an unforeseen and unknown enemy.
“In a matter of weeks, the Covid-19 virus has spread like wild-fire, overwhelming communities and health systems, devouring scarce resources, consuming precious lives, and paralysing economies and businesses the world over,” said Qureshi.
He added that nothing of this scale and magnitude has been witnessed in a century. Some 4.1 million have been infected and nearly 300,000 have fallen prey to the deadly pathogen, and within days, the world that was known and understood went through a radical transformation.
“Covid-19 continues to assault lives and livelihoods, and paralyse civilisation,” said the foreign minister. “On this sombre occasion, I wish to offer heartfelt condolences on the on-going losses. Our travails are common, and our grief is shared. May I also acknowledge with appreciation, the initiative by the Russian Federation to convene this timely meeting,” the minister stated.
Qureshi said that he was confident that this video-conference would galvanise the SCO into forging a stronger and more coherent front against the pandemic.
“This meeting coincides with the 75th Anniversary of victory against fascism, militarism and violent nationalism, and the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the United Nations,” he said, adding that the UN is currently facing among the most serious stress tests to its efficacy.
“It is a matter of satisfaction that the SCO has, since its inception, upheld the UN Charter, and carried forward the baton of multilateralism,” Qureshi said.
