Ishaq Dar to attend SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Tajikistan

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will lead Pakistan’s delegation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on October 19 and 20, the Foreign Office said.

According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, Dar will attend the meeting at the invitation of Tajikistan’s Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda.

The meeting will be attended by prime ministers from Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, while Iran will be represented by its vice president and India by its external affairs minister.

The SCO Council of Heads of Government is the organisation’s second-highest decision-making body. Its meeting will provide guidance on economic, financial, trade, connectivity and socio-economic cooperation, as well as matters relating to the organisation’s budget.

The council is also expected to approve a joint communiqué, statements and key decisions.

During his visit, Dar is scheduled to meet Tajikistan’s president and prime minister. He will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from SCO member states on the sidelines of the gathering.

Pakistan’s SCO chairmanship focuses on regional cooperation, connectivity and security

Pakistan’s 2026-27 chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is focused on strengthening regional cooperation, economic integration, connectivity, innovation and security, with Islamabad preparing to host the organisation’s Council of Heads of State summit in August 2027.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif outlined Pakistan’s priorities while addressing the SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on September 1, 2026. The chairmanship is guided by the theme “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity”, with Islamabad seeking practical initiatives in information technology, artificial intelligence, energy, poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports.

Pakistan has also proposed an SCO framework for sovereign AI infrastructure and governance, aimed at encouraging responsible technological development and ensuring that member states benefit from emerging technologies. Shehbaz called for stronger regional transport links, secure energy corridors and resilient supply chains, highlighting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as a connection between regional economies and the Arabian Sea. He also supported further railway, road and energy projects, implementation of the SCO Development Strategy until 2035 and the establishment of an SCO Development Bank.

The prime minister stressed that regional prosperity depended on peace and respect for international agreements. Without naming India directly, he said water must never be used as a political weapon and called for the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) to be honoured. His remarks followed a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that the treaty remained in force, after India placed it in abeyance in April 2025. Tensions over the agreement were followed by a brief military conflict between the two countries in May 2025.

Shehbaz also identified terrorism as a major regional threat, saying Pakistan had lost more than 90,000 lives and suffered economic losses exceeding $150 billion over the preceding two and a half decades in its fight against militancy. He called for a peaceful Afghanistan but warned that attacks launched from Afghan territory would undermine regional stability. He also reiterated Pakistan’s support for diplomatic efforts to resolve the US-Iran conflict, citing the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed in June 2026 as a framework for de-escalation. He described the defence agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as defensive and called for international action to address the suffering of Palestinians.

Preparations for the 2027 summit

An important step in implementing Pakistan’s chairmanship agenda was the meeting of SCO national coordinators scheduled in Islamabad from September 28 to 30, according to a September 27 Foreign Office statement. The gathering was intended to review the programme of activities under Pakistan’s chairmanship, coordinate preparations for upcoming meetings and address other organisational matters.

Pakistan is working to prepare Islamabad for the August 2027 summit. Plans include upgrading the Jinnah Convention Centre, constructing a new block and expanding hotel accommodation to ensure sufficient rooms meet international standards. The Capital Development Authority has been working with the hospitality sector to improve capacity ahead of the high-level gathering.

Pakistan has also undertaken other SCO responsibilities, including hosting a meeting of the organisation’s border services chiefs in July and chairing its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure. Lahore was designated the SCO’s Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-27 to promote tourism and people-to-people exchanges among member states.

During the Bishkek summit, Shehbaz and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also engaged with regional leaders and counterparts, including representatives of China, Iran, Russia and Belarus, discussing bilateral relations and regional developments. Pakistan has said it will work with SCO members and the organisation’s secretariat to translate its chairmanship priorities into practical initiatives, with the 2027 summit expected to serve as a major milestone in that effort.