DPM Dar to attend high-level SCO moot in Tajikistan

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar has been appointed to represent Pakistan at the upcoming high-level Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting. This important diplomatic event is scheduled to take place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on October 19-20. The FO released a statement on Monday confirming Dar's delegation to attend the meeting, which will be led by the Pakistani government.

Among the attendees will be the prime ministers of Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran's vice president, and India's external affairs minister. The SCO's Council of Heads of Government is the second-highest decision-making body within the organization, focusing on economic, financial, trade, connectivity, and socio-economic cooperation, as well as budgetary matters.

During his visit, Dar is expected to meet with Tajikistan's president and prime minister, as well as hold bilateral discussions with his counterparts from SCO member states during the sidelines of the summit. In October 2024, Pakistan hosted the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad. Pakistan is set to chair the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) in September 2027 and will host the summit in Islamabad.

Dar chaired a follow-up meeting in October 2024 to review preparations for the upcoming CHS summit, emphasizing the importance of deepening engagement with SCO member states and advancing shared regional priorities.