Pakistan to host 2027 SCO summit as Dar reaffirms commitment to regional cooperation

WEB DESK: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has announced that Pakistan will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council Summit in 2027, inviting member states to participate as the country prepares to assume the council’s chairmanship in September.

Leading the Pakistani delegation at the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Kyrgyzstan, Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the SCO Charter and the “Shanghai Spirit”, describing mutual trust, respect, shared development and prosperity as the foundation of regional cooperation, according to the Foreign Office.

He said Pakistan was ready to take over the chairmanship of the SCO Heads of State Council in September and remained committed to making the organisation a more effective platform for regional cooperation.

Addressing the meeting, Dar urged member states to avoid confrontation and the use of aggression as a policy tool, stressing the need to promote connectivity, poverty reduction and economic cooperation across the SCO region. He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was aligned with the SCO’s vision for regional connectivity and economic integration.

Highlighting Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, Dar said Islamabad had helped pave the way for peace in the Middle East through the Islamabad Reconciliation Memorandum.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Dar attended a dinner hosted by Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev and joined other heads of delegation in a meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, during which he conveyed greetings and a message from Pakistan’s leadership.

The foreign minister also held separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to discuss bilateral ties, regional developments and areas of mutual cooperation.

According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan remains committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation with Kyrgyzstan and advancing the SCO as an effective platform for regional peace, connectivity and shared prosperity.