Web Desk (MNN); Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday called on Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member countries to accelerate economic collaboration, strengthen engagement with partner states, and modernise the organisation to meet emerging global and regional challenges.
He made these remarks while addressing the 24th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) in Moscow.
The CHG, the SCO’s second-highest decision-making body, oversees cooperation in areas including economy, finance, trade, connectivity, commerce, and socio-economic development, and is responsible for approving the organisation’s budget and major joint statements.
Dar said the joint communique and documents adopted at the summit would help guide collective efforts toward regional prosperity. He stressed that the SCO’s agenda — spanning trade, economic cooperation, cultural links and humanitarian initiatives — reflects a mature and forward-looking organisation.
Referring to the outcomes of the recent Tianjin summit, he noted the SCO’s shift toward deeper economic integration, pointing to enhanced trade ties, better connectivity infrastructure, investment partnerships and the promotion of digital economies as central to the region’s sustainable growth.
He also highlighted the organisation’s potential in boosting humanitarian cooperation and disaster management. Dar shared that Pakistan has built a technology-driven disaster management system and offered to conduct joint simulation exercises with SCO states to improve regional preparedness.
Calling for greater participation of observer and partner countries, Dar urged the SCO to move beyond passive roles and involve them in project-based initiatives aligned with their strengths.
He also proposed activating key financial mechanisms, including the SCO Interbank Consortium, and advancing plans for an SCO Development Bank to support connectivity and technical cooperation projects.
Stressing human capital development, Dar suggested expanding the SCO University Network into an applied-knowledge consortium promoting student exchanges and research in information technology, artificial intelligence, agriculture, water resource management and telemedicine.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional cooperation, Dar described the SCO as a platform capable of becoming a launch pad for shared success, fostering innovation, connectivity and deeper integration across the region.
