The 26th Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which concluded in Bishkek on September 1, 2026, marked an important moment in Pakistan’s regional diplomacy. At the closing session, Kyrgyzstan formally handed over the annual chairmanship to Pakistan, with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif assuming the SCO Chairmanship for 2026–27. For Pakistan, a full member since 2017, the responsibility is both an honour and an opportunity.

The summit brought together leaders from China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres also attending.

Held under the theme, “25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity,” the summit focused on security, trade, energy, connectivity, climate change, artificial intelligence and the digital economy. Pakistan’s chairmanship theme, “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity,” reflects Islamabad’s intention to move beyond dialogue towards practical cooperation.

In his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted water security as an issue of vital regional........

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