Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): Opportunities for Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistan’s inclusion in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is optimistically seen as a turning point in the changing geopolitical landscape of the Eurasian belt, as well as bringing new opportunities for Pakistan. This paper explores the prospects of economic development and political cooperation that Pakistan’s membership of SCO offers. The practice of multilateral diplomacy has helped in mitigating regional tensions and augmenting collaboration in the world history, therefore, the paper explores the possibilities of SCO as the best multilateral forum for Pakistan. Although SCO is perceived as an anti-Western alliance, its extended membership is building on the allies (old and new) of the US, particularly inclusion of India and Pakistan is challenging the stance. Moreover, SCO has shunned the notion of anti-Western outlook and the widespread perception to balance out the supremacy of US at the regional, as well as global level. Even so, SCO is catering all prerequisites of the collaboration of regional actors in Central and South Asia and furthering cooperation in the economic field. In this setting, the paper is divided into three parts. The first part deals with the analytical framework of new regionalism in South and Central Asia. The second part examines core factors that have led to the extension of the SCO. Finally, the paper evaluates the impact of the extension of the SCO on Pakistan. The study concludes that notwithstanding challenges, the SCO provides opportunities for economic development and political cooperation between states.