NSAs of India, Pakistan agree on strengthening of SCO anti-terror cooperation
NSAs of India, Pakistan agree on strengthening of SCO anti-terror cooperation
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart on Wednesday called on President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, along with other member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in a bid to strengthen anti-terror cooperation.
Tajikistan is the host to the 16th meeting of the secretaries of the Security Councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
India and Pakistan both agreed to cooperate within the SCO grouping in the "joint fight" against "international terrorism", "extremism", "separatism" and "religious radicalism".
Ajit Doval and Moeed Yusuf attended the meeting but despite speculation, there was no pull-aside or bilateral conversation between the two sides. According to reports, India and Pakistan have been holding back-channel talks for some time now and both the NSAs have taken the lead on this initiative, which also involves the military leadership of Pakistan.
During the meeting, "Issues of cooperation in the joint fight against the threats of international terrorism, extremism, separatism, religious radicalism, the risks of increasing transnational organised crime, including arms and drug trafficking, were discussed." A statement was issued by the government of Tajikistan.
The meeting also "stressed" that the regional anti-terrorist structure (RATS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation can play an important role in ensuring "regional security and strengthening ties between member states in combating threats and challenges of the modern world".
The meeting also discussed "cooperation between member states in ensuring reliable information security, the joint fight against cybercrime and the issues of biological security and food security in the context of the coronavirus pandemic".
The SCO national security advisors meet also focussed on "the current military and political situation in Afghanistan and the alarming tendencies of its escalation".
This comes in the wake of the imminent withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan.
The meeting was attended by security representatives of India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Jumakhon Giyosov. Tajikistan is the current chairman of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
