Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif left on Sunday for a three-day official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic. Shehbaz will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek on August 31-September 2 at the invitation of President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov. The Prime Minister’s Office announced his departure on X and said he will address the summit and present Pakistan’s position on regional and global issues.
Key Highlights
- PM Shehbaz attends SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in Bishkek
- Pakistan to become SCO Chair for 2026-2027
- PM to hold bilateral talks with Kyrgyz President on September 2
- Ishaq Dar, Jam Kamal Khan, Abdul Aleem Khan, Attaullah Tarar to be part of delegation
- A Packed Three-Day Agenda
- About a Dozen World Leaders to Gather to Celebrate SCO’s 25th Anniversary
PM Shehbaz Sharif to leave for Kyrgyzstan today on a three-day official visit.
At the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov, he will attend the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting & hold bilateral engagements during the visit, Foreign Office spokesperson says.#SamaaTV pic.twitter.com/ukabQaNJe0
— SAMAA TV (@SAMAATV) August 31, 2026
The Foreign Office said that the visit will include attending the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State and bilateral meetings in Kyrgyzstan. Shehbaz is accompanied by a senior delegation including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar and other officials.
During his stay in Bishkek, the prime minister will participate in the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting and the SCO Plus Summit. During this visit, Shehbaz will also assume the Chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for Pakistan for the term 2026-2027. Apart from the main summit proceedings, he is likely to hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of other participating countries.
In addition to the diplomatic trip, Shehbaz will also be attending the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games on August 31.
Kyrgyzstan: September 2
On the last day of his visit, Shehbaz will pay a call on the Kyrgyz president and hold bilateral talks on the whole spectrum of Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations. Both sides will undertake a thorough review of their relationship and explore avenues to deepen cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, energy, regional connectivity, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, the Foreign Office said. The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest, and cooperation across regional and multilateral platforms.
The Foreign Office said the two countries enjoyed warm and fraternal ties based on common history, faith and cultural linkages, and shared goals for peace, connectivity and prosperity across Central and South Asia. The visit is an opportunity to build on recent high-level exchanges and translate political goodwill into more concrete and practical cooperation between the two countries, officials said.
A historic SCO summit
This year’s meeting in Bishkek marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO’s founding, and a dozen or so world leaders are expected to attend. The organization has ten member states: India, Iran, China, Pakistan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and two observer states: Afghanistan and Mongolia.
Pakistan’s role at this summit is very important. In addition to participating as a member state, Pakistan will also assume the chairmanship of the SCO’s Council of Heads of State for the next year. Next year, the Council of Heads of State summit will also take place in Islamabad, and this year’s participation in Bishkek effectively sets the stage for Pakistan to host in 2027.
