Significance of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

for Pakistan
Amid the shifting balance of power in the region, Shanghai Cooperation Organization is
emerging out to be an important security bloc thus bringing vital significance of strategic
and security nature for Pakistan. SCO can be significant for Pakistan in helping the
latter to strengthen its security against the non-conventional threats along with seeking
new opportunities of economic cooperation with the regional economic and security
powers.

Briefly Understanding Shanghai Cooperation Organization

SCO is fundamentally a cooperation bloc of reginal nations like Central Asian Republics
and South Asia. The bloc is led by China and Russia. Though, it has been established
for cooperation in economic realm and against the common threats like terrorism yet it
is often seen as a security bloc. Analysts have also termed it as ‘NATO of the East’
rendering it as a tool to counter balance the Western NATO.

Significance of SCO for Pakistan

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) can be termed as vital and significant for
Pakistan owing to the following facts:

 It is an important cooperation bloc for Pakistan where it can seek the economic
help from major regional powers to prosper through trade and proper investment.
 SCO, being an emerging security bloc, can prove greatly helpful for Pakistan in
helping it from traditional and non-traditional threats.
 SCO is providing Pakistan an important strategic position against its regional and
global enemies.
 The organization is giving Pakistan better options in terms of choices for regional
partners. It is bringing it closer to Russia as well as the Central Asian Republics.
 Pakistan can have the significance of getting on good terms with India using the
platform of SCO. Their hostility is often seen as a threat to the working of SCO but
in an optimist view; the platform provides good opportunity for both of them to sort
out the problem.
 Through SCO Pakistan can end its diplomatic isolation in the region.
 Pakistan can seek help to counter the threats of terrorism in the region along with
sharing its experience with the other member countries facing such challenge.

Conclusion
Shanghai Cooperation Organization is doubtlessly a thing of future to which Pakistan
can attach vital expectations of significance in the areas of economy and security. SCO
can also provide better choices in friends, strategic leverage and diplomatic inclusion. It
can further ensure help for Pakistan in countering the years long threat of terrorism
along with providing mechanism to cope the non-traditional challenges.