DUSHANBE: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, to lead Pakistan’s delegation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting scheduled for October 19–20.
According to a Foreign Office (FO) statement issued on Monday, Tajikistan’s Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Daler Juma, received Dar upon his arrival. Juma also serves as co-chair of the Pakistan–Tajikistan Joint Commission.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Tajikistan, Irfan Ahmed, and the country’s National Coordinator for the SCO, Khalil Hashmi, were also present, along with senior Tajik government officials.
Dar to Meet Tajik Leadership and SCO Counterparts
Dar is attending the meeting at the invitation of Tajikistan Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda.
During his visit, the deputy prime minister will meet Tajikistan’s president and prime minister. He will also hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers and other counterparts from SCO member states on the sidelines of the summit, the Foreign Office said.
The meeting will bring together senior representatives from across the SCO bloc. Participants include the prime ministers of Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as Iran’s vice president and India’s external affairs minister.
The gathering will review cooperation among member states and is expected to conclude with a joint communique, statements and other key decisions.
SCO Council of Heads of Government
The Council of Heads of Government is the SCO’s second-highest decision-making body. It provides guidance on economic and financial cooperation, trade, connectivity, commerce and socio-economic development.
The council also deals with budgetary matters and other organisational priorities.
Pakistan’s participation provides an opportunity to engage with fellow member states on shared economic and regional priorities through bilateral discussions and the summit’s formal proceedings.
