Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday stressed the need for coordinated global efforts to combat the novel coronavirus, saying that the "imperative of a common approach [...] has increased manifold" amid the ongoing health crisis that has killed more than 1.2 million people and wrecked the world economy.

The prime minister made the remarks while speaking via video link at the 20th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) Council of Heads of State.

"Humanity faces the possibility of a slow recovery and a prolonged economic slump with rising poverty and inequality," warned PM Imran, while highlighting the dangers posed by the novel coronavirus.

"Under the circumstances, the imperative of a common approach to limit the spread of infectious diseases, reduce the effects and develop potential remedies has increased manifold. Yet global harmony and multilateralism are undermined by rising geopolitical tensions, unilateralism and isolationism."

He lauded the SCO's call for "effective multilateralism" and expressed the belief that the forum, with its "core principles of solidarity and mutual support, would be effective in combatting the effects of Covid-19".

"At a time when the world is bereft of global vision and shared solutions, SCO has called for effective multilateralism, with the UN playing a central coordinating role," the prime minister noted.

He also praised China for its "effective handling" of the virus as well as its assistance to other countries, including Pakistan, to cope with the health crisis.

The prime minister told the participants of the meeting that China and Pakistan were working in collaboration to develop a vaccine, which was undergoing Phase-III trials. He also highlighted steps taken by Pakistan to curb the virus' spread while also helping the lower-income class.

The premier acknowledged that steps to help vulnerable countries had been taken on a global scale, including the provision of debt relief by the G-20 countries, but added that more needed to be done.

Without naming any country, Prime Minister Imran called for "faithfully implementing UN Security Council resolutions for peaceful solutions to outstanding disputes" and said that "unilateral and illegal measures to change the status of disputed territories [...] adversely affect regional environment".

He repeated his belief that the Afghanistan conflict did not have a military solution and said that the "best way forward" was a negotiated political arrangement, adding that Pakistan supported an "Afghan-led and and the Afghan-owned peace process".