ISLAMABAD, June 5 (NNI): Russians are advising Pakistan to draw attention to the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) moving forward by Russia and China.
The RATS is a permanent body of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) that coordinates counterterrorism efforts between member countries.
Pakistan is an active member of the nine-member SCO — made up of China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. SCO represents one of the largest regional organizations in the world.
Several members including Pakistan face serious security challenges and Pakistani security officials insist that violent incidents have increased after the Taliban takeover of the Taliban in Aug 2021.
Like Pakistan, Russia’s security concerns grew after the deadliest attack at a concern in Moscow in March.
The March 22nd ISIS-claimed attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow that killed over 130 people and injured hundreds more was the deadliest terrorist attack in Europe since the Beslan school siege in 2004.
Russian officials believe that under the RATS the member countries have huge possibilities to work out combined actions and implement tasks on providing regional security.
According to the official information the counterterrorist agencies of the SCO members just in 2023 year prevented more than 70 terrorist acts and dis- closed activity of around 75 terrorist groups.
Pakistan is exposed to the spreading of ex-terrorism and terrorism ideology more than others.
A Russian official argues that in this connection Islamabad should in principle support initiatives about transformation of RATS into the Multipurpose (Universal) Centre for the counteraction to new challenges and threats. Such steps will improve Exchanging information speed and quality of analysis on relevant topics among the SCO members, he believes.
Interaction with the SCO members on that issue will be a positive trend to form regional mechanisms for fighting the international terrorists in Eurasia.
The Appearance of alternative integration structures in particular C 5+1 doesn’t go in favor of Pakistan. In that case Islamabad will be thrown out of developing processes in Central Asia.
Russians think that Washington won’t allow whoever including Pakistan to gain any profits from cooperation with the Central Asian republics without relevant conditions.
Islamabad should support the strengthening role of SCO in counterpoising US supremacy in Central Asia.
The mission of RATS, which was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is to promote cooperation between member states to combat terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism.
Member states address counterterrorism issues in political, diplomatic, military, and judicial spheres, with a focus on security information.
RATS has claimed to have neutralized hundreds of terrorist training camps, prevented attacks, arrested militants, and extradited or sentenced others. However, some have expressed concerns that governments may use counterterrorism to repress people with different political views or cultures. Criticism of RATS has also centered on how the group describes its adversaries. NNI
