Pakistan’s Foreign Office announced on Monday that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will lead the Pakistani delegation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting. The meeting is being held in Moscow on November 17 and 18 at the invitation of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

According to the Foreign Office, the meeting will include the heads of government from SCO member states—Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—along with Iran’s Vice President and the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India.

Leaders from Mongolia, Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, and Turkmenistan will also attend. In addition, heads of regional and international organizations such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) will participate.

Pakistan’s Role and Bilateral Meetings

The statement said that Ishaq Dar will use his address to the SCO Heads of Government Conference to present Pakistan’s views on key regional and global issues. He will also offer suggestions to strengthen the SCO for the benefit of the region.

During the summit, Ishaq Dar is expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of other SCO member countries to boost cooperation and strengthen mutual ties.

Importance of the Council of Heads of Government

The Foreign Office noted that the SCO Council of Heads of Government is the organization’s second-highest decision-making body. It provides guidance on economic, financial, trade, communication, commerce, and socio-economic cooperation matters, including the SCO’s budget. The CHG also issues joint statements, declarations, and key decisions.

Earlier this year, the SCO Summit was held in Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1. In September, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Pakistan would host the next SCO Summit, though the date has not yet been confirmed.