PAKISTAN and India became full members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on July 10 at the SCO Summit Conference in Ufa. Pakistan’s entry into the Organization is a high water mark in its diplomacy as this enhances Pakistan’s strategic, economic and diplomatic space in the region and internationally.
Pakistan is not new to the SCO. As an observer since 2005, Pakistan has been actively participating in the activities of the SCO. Pakistan applied for its membership in 2006; India in 2011. At some point, it was decided by the six founding SCO members that Pakistan and India would be given membership simultaneously.
