Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, called for a unified regional approach to counterterrorism on Tuesday, urging member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to reject the use of terrorism for political purposes — an apparent reference to the situation in Afghanistan.
In a statement delivered at the conclusion of the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting, Dar did not name any actors directly but emphasized that “we must refrain from using terrorism to advance political agendas and instead address its root causes through a cooperative approach.”
“Terrorism remains a common threat to humanity and global security,” he said, adding that all forms of terrorism — including what he termed “state terrorism” — must be condemned without exception.
Dar also underscored the importance of restoring the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, a diplomatic framework designed to coordinate the bloc’s engagement with Afghanistan. He described the group as a “valuable platform” for practical and results-oriented cooperation.
“Sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan is a cornerstone of our shared vision,” he said. “Reviving the Contact Group could help provide concrete support toward that goal.”
The SCO foreign ministers’ meeting, which concluded Monday in the Chinese city of Tianjin, served as a final preparatory session ahead of the organization’s heads-of-state summit, expected to be held in late August or early September.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who also participated in the meeting, said discussions included security cooperation, regional stability and China’s Belt and Road Initiative — in which Afghanistan is a prospective partner.
