Pakistan has for long been trying to become an SCO member state. It believes its membership will enable it to diversify its foreign policy and enable it to play a more effective role in the stability of the region.
Since its inception in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has become a regional force and has been gaining importance in Asia‘s security dynamics. Its six member states cover a territory hosting more than one-quarter of the world’s population. Two of its founding members — Russia and China — are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).