Pakistan's former Ambassador to China, Masood Khan, who spent over six years in China, first as a Third Secretary (1984-86), then later as Ambassador (2008-12), has command over the Chinese language and has very hard to promote Sino-Pak relations as well as pushed for Pakistan's acceptance into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a full member, explains the significance of the forum. <br />Painstakingly, the participant elaborated that SCO is not a counter weight to NATO nor is it an alliance against any country or group. It is a partnership aimed at greater cooperation among the member states, allaying their security concerns and enhancing trade, commerce and infrastructure development in the region. The advent of the BRICS Bank, cooperation in Afghanistan, which has observer status of SCO and President Xi Jinping's One Belt One Road Concept and the importance of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor also came under discussion. <br />The strengths that Pakistan brings to the group and its expectations from it were also highlighted. The meetings of the SCO leaders on the sidelines of the summit also came under deliberation. <br />Host: S. M. Hali
