Lt Gen (Retd) Ikram Ul Haq, Secretary Defence represented Pakistan at the SCO Defence Ministers’ Conference at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 29 April 2019. The Conference was preceded by Expert Working Group Meeting held on 28 April 2019 in which the preliminary work on the agenda to be subsequently considered at the Defence Ministers Conference was finalized. Pakistan, which became permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in June 2017, has since been regularly attending these meetings. During the Conference, Secretary Defence highlighted the importance of SCO for regional peace and stability and its role as a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment in promoting the Shanghai spirit which laid emphasis on equality, trust, co-existence, mutual accommodation, respect for cultural diversity and a desire for common development. He expected SCO to play an important part in creating a regional order free from coercion, confrontation and conflict. The achievements made by Pakistan both in kinetic as well as non-kinetic domain in its fight against terrorism were also highlighted by Secretary Defence. On the sidelines of the Conference, Secretary Defence met the Defence Minister of Peoples Republic of China and discussed matters of mutual interest and bilateral cooperation. ******
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