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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday extended &ldquo;heartfelt congratulations&rdquo; to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on the occasion of its 25th anniversary, adding that Islamabad looks forward to &ldquo;assuming the chairmanship&rdquo; of the SCO Council of Heads of States in September this year and to hosting the Summit in 2027, according to a Foreign Office&nbsp;statement. According to the statement, since its establishment in 2001, the SCO has evolved into a &ldquo;pivotal platform for regional cooperation,&rdquo; and is playing an important role in promoting regional peace, security, stability, economic cooperation, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges among its member States.&nbsp;&ldquo;The milestone of the 25th anniversary confirms the enduring power of the &#39;Shanghai Spirit,&#39; which continues to guide us through mutual trust, equality, respect for cultural diversity, shared development and constructive engagement,&rdquo; said the statement. The statement said that Pakistan&rsquo;s journey within the SCO, &ldquo;from observer to a proactive full member since 2017,&rdquo; reflects its unwavering commitment to multilateralism and confidence in the region&#39;s potential.&nbsp; &ldquo;Pakistan remains firmly committed to the principles and objectives of the SCO Charter. We appreciate SCO&rsquo;s approach to respect international law and promote good neighborliness,&rdquo; added the statement. Regarding the assumption of the chairmanship, the statement added that &ldquo;We are looking forward to assuming the chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of States in September this year and hosting the Summit in 2027.&rdquo; This reflects trust and confidence in Pakistan&rsquo;s leadership role regionally and globally.&nbsp; It said that Pakistan will continue to advance a forward-looking and action-oriented agenda aimed at enhancing economic collaboration, promoting regional connectivity, and deepening mutual understanding among peoples. &lsquo;Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure&rsquo;The statement added that Pakistan has proudly contributed to the SCO&#39;s work. It said that it hosted the Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government in October 2024 in Islamabad.&nbsp; &ldquo;We are currently steering the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) as its chair for 2025-2026,&rdquo; said the statement.&nbsp;It said that as the permanent chair of the SCO Special Working Group on Poverty Alleviation, Pakistan aims at &ldquo;improving the living standards of millions across our region.&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s strategic geographical location serves as a natural bridge for Eurasian connectivity.&nbsp; &ldquo;The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor serves as a model for trans-regional economic and trade integration among SCO countries,&rdquo; said the statement. FM Dar said that Pakistan &ldquo;deeply appreciates&rdquo; the SCO&rsquo;s role in fostering regional peace and stability.&nbsp; &ldquo;As a frontline state that has made unparalleled sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, Pakistan values the SCO&rsquo;s collaborative framework in combating the &#39;three evils&#39; of terrorism, separatism, and extremism,&rdquo; said the statement. It added that beyond security, the organization&rsquo;s efforts in economic growth are laying the foundation for a &ldquo;resilient regional economy.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;SCO&rsquo;s promotion of digital innovation, energy security projects and mutual payments in national currencies is commendable,&rdquo; it added.&nbsp; &ldquo;Pakistan is eager to contribute to regional connectivity, trade and investment, food security, climate resilience, public health, education, digital innovation, and sustainable development,&rdquo; it said. It stated that Pakistan envisions a &ldquo;prosperous future&quot; built on social cohesion and mutual respect, calling for continuing to &ldquo;work together&rdquo; to transform our region into a center of peace, harmony, and shared prosperity for our future generations.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar congratulates the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on its 25th anniversary and says Pakistan looks forward to assuming the chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State in September and hosting the 2027 Summit.

Pakistan congratulates SCO on 25th anniversary, looks forward to assuming council chairmanship 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review Pakistan&rsquo;s preparations for assuming the chairmanship of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for 2026-27, his office said. The meeting assessed ongoing work and directed all relevant ministries to ensure comprehensive planning and coordination for the successful hosting of the SCO summit in 2027.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2052342207038865620&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard&sessionId=46e1cdd01948217d5be5c19859c37033640e3ac6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2052342207038865620"></iframe></div></div>FM Dar stressed that Pakistan attaches high importance to the SCO framework and its upcoming role, calling it a reflection of the country&rsquo;s commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and multilateral engagement.&nbsp;He also underscored the need for timely execution, strong inter-agency coordination and high standards of logistical and substantive preparations.&nbsp;Senior officials, including Special Assistants to the Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa and Tariq Fatemi, Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, and representatives from key ministries, attended the meeting.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the SCO Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad on October 17, 2024. (File photo: PID)

Assesses ongoing work and directs all relevant ministries to ensure comprehensive planning and coordination for the successful hosting of the SCO summit in 2027.

Pakistan steps up preparations for SCO summit 2027

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is pursuing an agreement with Russia on oil and gas exploration and refinery modernization as bilateral trade between the countries more than doubled last year, Pakistan&#39;s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Tuesday. In an interview with the Russian state-owned channel, RIA Novosti, at the Momentum conference in Riyadh, Aurangzeb said that &quot;All these areas are the strengths of Russia. And we would be very happy if they agreed on an agreement in this industry with Pakistan.&quot; The State Bank of Pakistan data shows trade volume between the two countries rose to $1.81 billion in the fiscal year ending June 2024. It was largely driven by imports of discounted Russian crude oil. Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said in November 2024 that Russia is discussing the possibility of Russian companies participating in a project to modernize a refinery in Pakistan, according to Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Energy. He stated that the two countries would continue cooperation in hydrocarbon exploration and development. Aurangzeb identified energy, oil and gas, minerals, and mining as the main areas of trade potential. He noted Pakistan&#39;s interest in a steel plant project, noting that the country&#39;s previous large steel facility was built with Russian support. He stated that Pakistan aims to attract foreign investment by ensuring macroeconomic stability. The country&#39;s foreign exchange reserves now &ldquo;cover imports for two and a half months&rdquo; and are &ldquo;approaching a three-month&rdquo; indicator. Aurangzeb also said Pakistan is an active member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and has expressed interest in joining BRICS. He mentioned that Pakistan was studying alternative payment systems as relations with BRICS develop. Pakistan&#39;s Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervez Malik, has held meetings with heads of Gazprom and ROSGEO to boost cooperation during his visit to Russia for the 14th St Petersburg International Gas Forum in October 2025. Both sides agreed to improve the partnership between Pakistan&#39;s state-owned Oil and Gas Development Company Limited and Gazprom. Similarly, the 10th session of the Russian-Pakistani Intergovernmental Commission focused on expanding trade, easing customs barriers, and advancing new joint projects. Russian Consul-General Andrey V. Federov said in July that Russia seeks to double the volume of bilateral trade with Pakistan.

Economy

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb says Pakistan is pursuing Russian oil and gas exploration agreements and refinery modernization, as bilateral trade surges, driven by discounted oil imports and cooperation.

Pakistan in talks with Russia on oil sector agreement: Finance minister

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Dr Roxolana Zigon, director of Center of International and Strategic Research Moscow, has expressed the hope that Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Moscow becomes the gateway to new initiatives and fresh dialogues between Russia and Pakistan with regards to connectivity, trade, investments, technological exchange, enhancements and more. Talking exclusively to Pakistan TV, Dr Roxolana Zigon said Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was received by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin and both leaders discussed new frameworks and avenues for development of relations between Russia and Pakistan.&nbsp; She said ties between the two countries were clearly entering a new chapter and new beginning. The Russian expert said during the last SCO summit held in China, it was announced that Pakistan will host the next SCO Summit.&nbsp; &ldquo;Therefore, we should expect new steps and further promotion of the dialogue,&rdquo; Dr Roxolana Zigon said.

SAT News Desk

Russian analyst Dr. Roxolana Zigon says the SCO Summit in Moscow could boost Russia-Pakistan ties, noting high-level meetings, growing cooperation, and expectations for further dialogue as Pakistan prepares to host the next summit.

Articles tagged with "Shanghai Cooperation Organisation"

Pakistan congratulates SCO on 25th anniversary, looks forward to assuming council chairmanship

Pakistan steps up preparations for SCO summit 2027

Pakistan in talks with Russia on oil sector agreement: Finance minister

Russian expert hopes SCO summit serves as gateway to new initiatives between Islamabad and Moscow

Pakistan congratulates SCO on 25th anniversary, looks forward to assuming council chairmanship