- WEB DESK
- October 20, 2026
Ishaq Dar meets Tajik president as SCO leaders push regional economic cooperation
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- WEB DESK
- October 20, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday called on Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon alongside other heads of government delegations from Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, as leaders gathered in Dushanbe for talks focused on regional economic cooperation, connectivity and shared prosperity.
President Rahmon welcomed the visiting leaders and stressed the importance of strengthening economic cooperation under the SCO framework to promote greater regional connectivity, stability and prosperity.
Dar is in Tajikistan to lead Pakistan’s delegation at the two-day meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government, which began on October 19.
He arrived in Dushanbe on Monday at the invitation of Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda and was received by Tajikistan’s Minister of Energy and Water Resources Daler Juma and other senior officials.
The meeting brings together prime ministers from Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Iran is being represented by its vice president, while India has sent its external affairs minister.
The SCO Council of Heads of Government is the organisation’s second-highest decision-making body. Discussions are focused on economic, financial and trade cooperation, regional connectivity, socio-economic development and budgetary matters.
The council is also expected to approve a joint communiqué along with other statements and key decisions.
During the visit, Dar is also scheduled to meet Tajikistan’s prime minister and hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers and other counterparts from SCO member states on the sidelines.
Pakistan pushes connectivity under SCO chairmanship
The Dushanbe meeting comes as Pakistan holds the SCO chairmanship for 2026-27, with Islamabad seeking to use the platform to advance regional economic integration, connectivity, innovation and security cooperation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif outlined Pakistan’s priorities for the chairmanship at the SCO summit in Bishkek on September 1 under the theme “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity.”
Pakistan has proposed practical cooperation in information technology, artificial intelligence, energy, poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports as part of its chairmanship agenda.
Islamabad has also proposed an SCO framework for sovereign artificial intelligence infrastructure and governance, aimed at encouraging responsible technological development and ensuring member states benefit from emerging technologies.
Shehbaz has called for stronger transport links, secure energy corridors and more resilient regional supply chains, while presenting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as a potential link between regional economies and the Arabian Sea.
Pakistan has also backed further railway, road and energy projects, implementation of the SCO Development Strategy until 2035 and the establishment of an SCO Development Bank.
Security remains part of regional agenda
Alongside economic cooperation, Pakistan has continued to place regional security and counter-terrorism high on its SCO agenda.
At the Bishkek summit, Shehbaz described terrorism as a major regional threat and said Pakistan had lost more than 90,000 lives and suffered economic losses exceeding USD 150 billion over the preceding two and a half decades in its fight against militancy.
He also called for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan while warning that attacks originating from Afghan territory could undermine wider regional stability.
The prime minister also reiterated Pakistan’s support for diplomatic efforts surrounding the US-Iran conflict, referring to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed in June 2026 as a framework for de-escalation.
Pakistan has meanwhile continued to take on institutional responsibilities within the SCO. It hosted a meeting of the organisation’s border services chiefs in July and currently chairs its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.
Lahore has also been designated the SCO’s Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-27, aimed at promoting tourism and stronger people-to-people links among member countries.
Preparations under way for 2027 summit
Pakistan’s chairmanship will culminate in the SCO Council of Heads of State summit in Islamabad in August 2027.
Preparations are already under way for the gathering, with plans including upgrades to the Jinnah Convention Centre, construction of an additional block and expansion of hotel accommodation in the federal capital.
An SCO national coordinators’ meeting was also scheduled in Islamabad from September 28 to 30 to review the programme of activities under Pakistan’s chairmanship and coordinate preparations for upcoming meetings.
