BISHKEK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Bishkek on Monday for a three-day official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic, where he is participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting and holding bilateral engagements with regional leaders. The prime minister is visiting Kyrgyzstan from August 31 to September 2 at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov. The visit is aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s engagement with the SCO and advancing bilateral relations with Kyrgyzstan.
Pakistan will also formally assume the chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for the 2026–27 term. The next meeting of the council is scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan. The SCO summit brings together leaders from China, Russia, India, Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. The organisation is marking its 25th anniversary this year, with the Bishkek gathering providing an important platform for discussions on regional security, connectivity, economic cooperation and political developments.
On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Shehbaz held a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The two leaders reaffirmed the longstanding ties between Pakistan and Iran and discussed regional developments. Shehbaz said he hoped Islamabad and Tehran would continue working together to promote peace and help de-escalate tensions in the region. The prime minister also addressed the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting on Tuesday, highlighting the importance of peace, regional stability and cooperation. He stressed that water was the “lifeblood” of the region and should not be weaponised or used as an instrument of political coercion. He also emphasised the importance of respecting international agreements governing shared water resources.
Pakistan’s assumption of the SCO chairmanship gives Islamabad an opportunity to shape the organisation’s agenda over the coming year, while the visit underscores the government’s efforts to deepen ties with Central Asian states and strengthen Pakistan’s role in regional diplomacy.