 "In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, his wife Peng Liyuan and foreign leaders pose during a family photo of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on August 31, 2025. - AFP")
The leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Monday, during the Tianjin summit , “strongly condemned” the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists, triggering a brief conflict with India hitting terror targets in PoK and Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.
However, the joint declaration avoided naming Pakistan, despite India’s long-standing push that Islamabad provides a safe haven to terror outfits.
In a declaration issued after the conclusion of the summit in Tianjin, China, member countries, including China and Turkey, expressed “deepest sympathy and condolences” to the families of those killed and injured. They also stressed that the perpetrators, organisers, and sponsors of such acts must be brought to justice.
While pledging to continue the joint fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, member states reaffirmed that sovereign governments and their agencies hold the primary responsibility in countering such threats.
“The Member States, while reaffirming their firm commitment to the fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, stress the inadmissibility of attempts to use terrorist, separatist and extremist groups for mercenary purposes. They recognize the leading role of sovereign States and their competent authorities in countering terrorist and extremist threats,” the declaration added.
Reiterating their commitment, the member states again pledged to continue the joint fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, emphasising that sovereign governments and their agencies are primarily responsible for countering these threats.
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More Shorts“The Member States, while reaffirming their firm commitment to the fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, stress the inadmissibility of attempts to use terrorist, separatist and extremist groups for mercenary purposes. They recognise the leading role of sovereign States and their competent authorities in countering terrorist and extremist threats,” the declaration added.
The declaration repeated this position, underlining that while the SCO will continue its collective efforts against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, the main responsibility remains with sovereign states and their competent authorities.
“The Member States, while reaffirming their firm commitment to the fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, stress the inadmissibility of attempts to use terrorist, separatist and extremist groups for mercenary purposes. They recognise the leading role of sovereign States and their competent authorities in countering terrorist and extremist threats,” the declaration added.