PAKISTAN WILL JOIN MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION (SCO) TO HOLD REGULAR JOINT ANTI-TERRORISM EXERCISES, OFFICIALS SAID. PAKISTAN HAS BEEN A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM AND HAS SHOWN A KEEN INTEREST TAKING AN IDENTICAL POSITION ON SECURITY ISSUES OF COMMON CONCERN, THEY SAID. OFFICIALS SAID THAT THE SCO MEMBER COUNTRIES APPRECIATE PAKISTAN'S EFFORTS TO COMBAT TERRORISM AND MAINTAIN REGIONAL PEACE. THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORK TOGETHER WITH PAKISTAN AND OTHER OBSERVER COUNTRIES FACING NEW CHALLENGES MAINLY THREE FORCES OF TERRORISM, SEPARATISM AND EXTREMISM, AS WELL AS DRUG TRAFFICKING, CROSS-BORDER CRIMES AND ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING AND SALE OF WEAPONS. ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIALS, THE UPCOMING SCO SUMMIT WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THEIR INTERACTION ON THE SECURITY ISSUES. PAKISTAN HAS ALREADY SIGNED A SERIES OF DOCUMENTS IN THIS FIELD AND SET UP A RELEVANT MECHANISM OF COOPERATION. THE SCO MEMBER STATES INCLUDING CHINA AND RUSSIA HAD SIGNED A COOPERATION AGREEMENT AGAINST NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING IN JUNE 2004. THE SCO HAD ALSO ASSISTED THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-DRUGS CAMPAIGN AND SET UP A LIAISON GROUP WITH AFGHANISTAN LAST YEAR. ESTABLISHED IN 2001, THE SCO COMPRISES CHINA, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, RUSSIA, TAJIKISTAN AND UZBEKISTAN. SINCE 2004, THE SCO HAS ACCEPTED PAKISTAN, MONGOLIA, IRAN, AND INDIA AS OBSERVERS.
