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ISLAMABAD, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephone conversation with Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Vladimir Norov on Monday and exchanged views on adopting an effective strategy to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Foreign Ministry of Pakistan said that Qureshi briefed Norov on the measures being taken by Pakistan to contain COVID-19 pandemic. As of Monday, the Pakistani government confirmed 50 people have been killed so far due to COVID-19 while 3,277 are confirmed cases.

"At a time when the entire world was facing this challenge, coordinated efforts through SCO platform were essential to adopt an effective strategy to control the pandemic," a foreign ministry statement quoted Qureshi as saying.

He said that China is providing valuable support to Pakistan in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. Qureshi appreciated the SCO Secretariat's role in disseminating timely information on China's effective response to the pandemic, the statement said.

Qureshi also lauded the Russian initiative to hold a video conference of the Experts of Health Ministries of SCO member states.

In addition to coordination and collaboration in relief and containment efforts, he called for pooling of region-wide research capabilities to combat the disease.

The SCO secretary general thanked Qureshi for the call. "The Secretary General conveyed his best wishes to the government and people of Pakistan in successfully facing the challenge posed by the pandemic and reiterated his resolve to utilize all possible means to ensure effective use of SCO in coordinating efforts of member states to combat the pandemic," the statement said.