- WEB DESK
- September 27, 2026
Water lifeblood of region, must never be weaponised, PM Shehbaz tells SCO summit
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- WEB DESK
- September 1, 2026
BISHKEK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said shared water resources must never be used as a weapon or an instrument of political coercion, calling for international agreements governing transboundary waters to be honoured unconditionally.
“Water is the lifeblood of our region,” Shehbaz said while addressing the 26th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State in Kyrgyzstan, as Pakistan formally assumed the organisation’s chairmanship for 2026-27.
“It sustains millions of lives, nourishes our lands, and secures the very future of our coming generations. It must never be weaponised. It cannot be used as an instrument of coercion, nor can it ever be exploited for political leverage,” he said.
Referring to treaties governing shared water resources, Shehbaz said they were “solemn, binding international commitments” and not matters of political convenience that could be discarded at will.
“They must be honoured unconditionally in both letter and spirit,” he said.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions over shared water resources, with Pakistan repeatedly calling for adherence to the Indus Waters Treaty with India.
Pakistan assumes SCO chairmanship
With Pakistan assuming the SCO chairmanship, Shehbaz said Islamabad would use the next year to advance regional cooperation and deliver tangible benefits to people across member states.
He said Pakistan’s priorities would include information technology and artificial intelligence, energy, development and poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports.
Shehbaz proposed an SCO Sovereign AI Infrastructure and Governance Framework to promote responsible and inclusive AI development, strengthen digital sovereignty and ensure that no member state was left behind.
Pakistan would also host the Global Resilience Expo 2026-27 in Islamabad to strengthen regional cooperation on disaster management, early-warning systems and emergency response, he said.
The prime minister called for full implementation of the SCO Development Strategy through 2035 and said the establishment of an SCO Development Bank would be a critical step towards achieving the bloc’s development objectives.
Pakistan, he added, would continue its work as permanent chair of the SCO Special Working Group on Poverty Reduction to promote social protection and inclusive development across the region.
He also invited participants to Islamabad in 2027 for the next edition of the SCO Plus meeting.
Connectivity and regional stability
The prime minister described regional connectivity as a “strategic imperative”, highlighting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a gateway linking regional economies to the Arabian Sea.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to advancing trans-regional railway and road projects as well as regional energy schemes.
Shehbaz said the SCO had extraordinary potential to contribute to regional development at a time of geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation, climate crises and rapid technological change.
He urged member states to respond to those challenges through greater cooperation and dialogue.
“Let history record that the SCO did not merely witness a changing world – we shaped it together,” he said, urging countries to choose “cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over division, bridges over barriers, and hope over fear.”
Pakistan highlights diplomatic efforts, Islamabad MoU
Shehbaz also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts following the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of an SCO member state earlier this year, which he said had triggered a major regional crisis and disrupted critical energy supply routes.
He said Pakistan had consistently acted as an “honest and sincere mediator and facilitator” and that its diplomatic efforts had culminated in the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
The MoU, he said, represented “the most viable and enduring pathway to lasting peace” in the region and provided a basis for all parties to pursue peace through dialogue and diplomacy.
Makkah defence agreement
Shehbaz also referred to the recently signed trilateral Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, describing it as an expression of a shared commitment to sovereignty, territorial integrity, collective security and regional peace.
He stressed that the agreement was “fundamentally defensive in nature” and was neither directed against any state nor intended to create confrontation or division.
The prime minister said the pact sent a message of unity and common resolve while supporting peace, progress and prosperity across the region.
He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the peaceful resolution of regional disputes and continued diplomatic engagement.
Terrorism remains regional threat
Turning to security, Shehbaz said terrorism remained one of the gravest threats facing SCO member states and countries represented in the wider SCO Plus grouping.
Pakistan had lost more than 90,000 lives and suffered economic losses exceeding $150 billion over the past two and a half decades in its fight against terrorism, he said.
“Our nation has stood resolutely in combating terrorism, not just for ourselves but for the entire globe,” Shehbaz said.
As chair of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), Pakistan had worked to strengthen regional counter-terrorism cooperation and combat what he described as the three evils of terrorism, separatism and religious extremism.
He called for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including what he termed state terrorism, to be condemned in clear and unambiguous terms.
Shehbaz reiterated Islamabad’s position that lasting peace would remain elusive as long as militant groups continued to use Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan and other neighbouring countries.
Shehbaz calls for action on Gaza
Turning to the Middle East, Shehbaz said the plight of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank continued unabated, with families facing what he described as unimaginable suffering.
“The international community must act decisively, and now, to end the suffering of the innocent Palestinian people and uphold their inalienable right to self-determination,” he said.
He called on the international community to help Palestinians and other oppressed nations secure their fundamental right to self-determination.
Shehbaz urges UN reform
Speaking on the broader international order, Shehbaz called for reform of the United Nations, saying the organisation must become more accountable and responsive as the world moves towards a multipolar system.
He said Pakistan had remained committed to the UN Charter throughout its eight decades and would continue working to promote lasting peace.
Pakistan viewed the emergence of a multipolar world as an opportunity to build a more equitable, democratic and just international system, he said, but stressed that the UN was “urgently in need of reform”.
“As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Pakistan has been actively contributing to global peacemaking over the past two years,” the prime minister said.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the UN and SCO charters, Shehbaz said Islamabad would continue to advocate peace, dialogue and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Joint declaration signed
Shehbaz thanked Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov for hosting the summit and for his country’s successful SCO chairmanship.
Pakistan formally assumed the SCO Council of Heads of State chairmanship for 2026-27, with Shehbaz signing the summit’s joint declaration on behalf of Pakistan.
The summit was attended by heads of state and government from SCO member countries as well as SCO Secretary General Nurlan Yermekbayev.
The SCO summit also provided an opportunity for Pakistan to pursue its diplomatic engagement with Iran.
Earlier on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Bishkek and discussed implementation of the June 2026 Islamabad MoU.
The two ministers agreed that sincere implementation of the agreement by both parties to the dispute was the only way forward, while stressing the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and regular communication, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said.
PM Shehbaz meets Pezeshkian
Earlier on Monday, PM Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also discussed regional developments, bilateral relations and implementation of the Islamabad MOU during a meeting on the sidelines of SCO.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Pakistan-Iran ties and emphasised implementing agreements reached during Pezeshkian’s June visit to Pakistan.
PM Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to promoting peace and de-escalation in the region, highlighting the recent visit of Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to Tehran. He said Munir’s “constructive engagements” were expected to contribute to positive outcomes.
The prime minister stressed that restraint, tolerance and sustained diplomacy were essential for lasting regional stability. He also called continued dialogue under the Islamabad MoU the “only viable way” towards durable peace.
The MoU, signed in June as part of diplomatic efforts involving Pakistan, Iran and the United States, has since been the focus of Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate dialogue and prevent further escalation.
Pezeshkian welcomed Pakistan’s diplomatic role and described Pakistan-Iran relations as rooted in shared history, culture and religion. He expressed Tehran’s interest in expanding cooperation and called for greater unity among Muslim countries.
The leaders also discussed regional connectivity and people-to-people contacts. PM Shehbaz invited Pezeshkian to visit Pakistan, while Pezeshkian invited him to the Economic Cooperation Organisation summit in Tehran in December 2026.
