FM Dar departs for Tajikistan to lead Pakistan’s delegation at SCO meeting

Council of heads of govt expected to adopt joint commnique, statements and important decisions

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar departed for Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Monday to lead Pakistan’s delegation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting being held on October 19-20, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

In an earlier statement issued ahead of the visit, the FO said FM Dar would attend the meeting at the invitation of Tajikistan’s Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda.

“The FM Dar will lead Pakistan’s delegation to the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG), to be held in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan on 19-20 October 2026,” it said.

The meeting will bring together the prime ministers of Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, while Iran will be represented by its vice-president and India by its external affairs minister, according to the statement.

The FO said the Council of Heads of Government was the SCO’s “second highest decision-making institution” and provided guidance on economic and financial affairs, trade, connectivity, commerce, socio-economic cooperation and the organisation’s budget.

Read: Pakistan, Iran FMs to meet in Baghdad

“The CHG will also adopt a Joint Communiqué, statements and important decisions,” it said.

During the visit, FM Dar was also scheduled to call on Tajikistan’s president and prime minister and hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from SCO member states on the sidelines of the meeting.

The SCO is a regional organisation whose areas of cooperation include economic development, trade, connectivity and security. Its Council of Heads of Government focuses primarily on economic and financial cooperation among member states.

Regional cooperation and Pakistan’s role

The meeting comes as Pakistan advances its priorities under its chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-27, with the country scheduled to host the organisation’s next summit in Islamabad in 2027.

In September, Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to advancing the bloc’s objectives and called for greater practical cooperation among member states in areas including economic development, transport and connectivity.

Pakistan’s chairmanship is being pursued under the theme “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation, and Shared Prosperity”, with FM Dar stressing the need to translate the organisation’s shared objectives into practical outcomes.

Read more: FM Dar, Iranian counterpart reaffirm importance of continued engagement

At the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek in September, member states adopted the Bishkek Declaration, outlining plans to deepen cooperation on security, trade and technology. More than 20 additional documents were signed or adopted, covering areas including transport, energy, drug trafficking, digital infrastructure and environmental cooperation.

The summit also designated Lahore as the SCO’s tourism and cultural capital for 2026-27. Pakistan is due to host the next Council of Heads of State summit in 2027.

Pakistan previously hosted the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad on October 15-16, 2024. The gathering focused on cooperation, connectivity and trade, with member states issuing a joint communiqué and reaffirming their commitment to implementing decisions taken at earlier SCO meetings.

Dar, Araghchi maintain diplomatic contact

The foreign minister’s visit also comes amid continued diplomatic engagement between Pakistan and Iran over regional developments.

On Sunday, Dar held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, during which the two discussed the evolving regional situation and the ongoing Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Baghdad.

According to the FO, Dar underscored the importance of continued dialogue and diplomacy in addressing regional challenges, and the two leaders agreed to maintain close contact.

The two ministers have also met on the sidelines of previous multilateral gatherings. In September, they held talks in Bishkek ahead of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting, discussing bilateral relations and regional developments and reaffirming the importance of continued engagement.

During the Dushanbe meeting, FM Dar is expected to hold bilateral talks with counterparts from SCO member states, providing an opportunity to discuss regional developments and cooperation alongside the organisation’s economic agenda.