THE rapid transformation in the international strategic environment and increasing probability of state-on-state wars have immensely revitalized the concept of collective security.

The United States has been utilizing its political, military, economic and technological power to counter Russian expansion in Eastern Europe and to contain China’s steady rise in contemporary global geopolitics. Indeed, these trends in the international system are not conducive to economically fragile and militarily insecure states such as Pakistan. China assigned great importance to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in addressing the non-traditional security challenges. The SCO focuses on security and economic issues across Eurasia. Its primary objective is to address the ‘three evil forces’—terrorism, separatism and extremism. It has thrived with expansion. It currently has 10 member states, including the initial six members. India and Pakistan were granted full membership of the Organization in 2017. Following them, Iran became a member in 2023 and Belarus in 2024. Additionally, there are two observer states—Mongolia and Afghanistan —and 14 dialogue partners. The SCO has grown to become a ‘big family’ of 26 countries, including member states, observers and dialogue partners.

The SCO’s basic bureaucratic structure consists of two standing bodies: the Secretariat, based in Beijing and overseen by a Secretary General........

© Pakistan Observer