Ishaq Dar Arrives in Dushanbe to Lead Pakistan’s Delegation at SCO Heads of Government Meeting

*ISLAMABAD, October 19:* Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar has arrived in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, to lead Pakistan’s delegation at the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Ishaq Dar was received upon arrival by Tajikistan’s Minister of Energy and Water Resources and Co-Chair of the Pakistan-Tajikistan Joint Commission, Dalir Jumaa; Pakistan’s Ambassador to Tajikistan, Irfan Ahmed; Pakistan’s National Coordinator for the SCO, Khalil Hashmi; and senior Tajik government officials.

The SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting is being held on October 19 and 20, 2026. The deputy prime minister is visiting Tajikistan at the invitation of Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda.

The meeting will be attended by the prime ministers of Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Iran will be represented by its vice president, while India’s external affairs minister will represent New Delhi.

The Council of Heads of Government is the SCO’s second-highest decision-making body. It provides guidance on economic, financial, trade, connectivity, business and socioeconomic cooperation, as well as budgetary matters of the organisation.

The council is also expected to approve a joint communiqué, statements and key decisions during the meeting.

During his visit, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is scheduled to meet the president and prime minister of Tajikistan. He will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from SCO member states on the sidelines of the meeting to discuss bilateral relations and regional and international issues.