Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister (FM) Ishaq Dar will lead Pakistan’s delegation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe on October 19 and 20, the Foreign Office said on Monday.
Dar is visiting Tajikistan at the invitation of Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda.
The prime ministers of Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will represent their countries. Iran’s vice president and India’s external affairs minister will also attend, according to the Foreign Office.
The Council of Heads of Government is the SCO’s second highest decision making body. It guides cooperation on economic, financial, trade, connectivity and social development issues and considers the organisation’s budgetary affairs.
Dar will also call on Tajikistan’s president and prime minister and hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from SCO member states on the sidelines.
The visit comes as Pakistan prepares to host the separate SCO Council of Heads of State summit in Islamabad in 2027.
On October 1, Dar chaired a meeting reviewing preparations for that summit and progress on decisions taken at an earlier meeting.
He described the event as an opportunity to strengthen engagement with member states and advance shared regional priorities. He directed officials to complete preparations through timely and coordinated work.
Pakistan was scheduled to assume the chairmanship of the Council of Heads of State in September, following an announcement in June.
The country also holds the chairmanship of the SCO’s Regional Anti Terrorist Structure for 2025 to 2026.
Pakistan last hosted the Council of Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad in October 2024.
