ISLAMABAD:Defense Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan says Pakistan has eliminated terrorism from its soil at a monumental cost in blood of our soldiers and citizens.
He said this while addressing the 15th Defence Ministers Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Beijing.
The Minister said Pakistan has suffered economic losses in excess of 120 billion dollars in war against terror. He said Pakistan has adopted a comprehensive National Action Plan to combat terrorism in the non-kinetic realm.
Khurram Dastgir Khan indicated continuing turmoil in Afghanistan, including presence of ISIS, as a source of insecurity for its neighbors and for the entire region.
He said serious challenges facing the region include violent extremism, poverty, lack of trans-boundary water management, drug trafficking, refugees, human trafficking, and border controls.
The Minister acknowledged the existence of bilateral issues between SCO members, but asserted that these should never be allowed to impede our collective work.
The minister also signed a communiqué that offered support for the "Shanghai Spirit" of building a shared community with peace and stability, development and prosperity.APP/AFP