Dushanbe: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was welcomed in Dushanbe on Tuesday along with other delegations attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting.
Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda received the visiting leaders ahead of the high level meeting, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
Dar also joined other heads of delegation in a call on Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, who emphasised stronger regional economic cooperation through the SCO to promote connectivity, stability and shared prosperity.
The Council of Heads of Government is the SCO’s second highest decision making body and oversees cooperation in areas including trade, finance, economic integration, connectivity and the organisation’s budget.
Dar is leading Pakistan’s delegation to the two day meeting, which concludes on Tuesday.
On the sidelines, he is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with representatives of other SCO member states.
The visit comes as Pakistan seeks deeper economic and transit links with Central Asia, including greater cooperation in energy, trade and regional connectivity.
Dar met Tajik Prime Minister Rasulzoda on Monday, with both sides agreeing to strengthen ties in trade, investment, energy, connectivity, defence and culture.
They also discussed climate change, water security and potential cooperation in disaster management through Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority.
Pakistan currently holds the rotational chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for the 2026 to 2027 term and is scheduled to host the next summit in Islamabad in 2027.
Islamabad has also taken on a broader role within the organisation in recent months, including chairing the SCO Regional Anti Terrorist Structure and hosting meetings focused on border security and regional cooperation.
Pakistan hosted the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad in October 2024.
The Dushanbe gathering therefore comes at a time when Islamabad is seeking to use its growing role within the SCO to advance regional trade, connectivity and security cooperation.
