Islamabad, 1 Sep 2025 Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, leading Pakistan’s delegation, participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State (CHS) and SCO CHS Plus meetings in Tianjin, China, on August 31st and September 1st, 2025, presided over by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan”s dedication to the “Shanghai Spirit,” emphasizing mutual trust, respect, shared prosperity, and advancement. He stressed Pakistan”s adherence to the UN and SCO Charters, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all SCO members. He urged fellow members to uphold these principles, specifically regarding water access based on existing agreements.
Addressing regional dynamics, the Prime Minister stated Pakistan”s preference for diplomacy over conflict and its pursuit of normalized relations with neighbors. He called for structured dialogue to resolve outstanding disputes in South Asia.
Sharif condemned terrorism, including state-sponsored acts, highlighting Pakistan”s sacrifices for regional stability. He cited evidence of external involvement in the Jaffar Express incident and other attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Prime Minister presented Pakistan”s economic transformation plan, focusing on trade expansion, innovation, and revenue enhancement. He firmly criticized Israel”s military operations in Gaza and urged a ceasefire. He also condemned the attack on Iran.
Sharif emphasized the importance of stability in Afghanistan for the SCO region and called for engagement. He lauded SCO”s vision of connectivity and highlighted Pakistan”s strategic location as a transit hub, mentioning the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a key initiative.
The CHS addressed regional and international strategic, political, security, and economic matters, adopting the Tianjin Declaration and statements on various cooperation areas, including multilateral trade, artificial intelligence, scientific cooperation, and green industry. Agreements were signed to establish an SCO Universal Center in Moscow and an Anti-Drug Center in Dushanbe. The Council also approved plans and strategies for economic and security cooperation and adopted the SCO Development Strategy until 2035.
In the SCO CHS Plus meeting on promoting multilateralism, regional security, and sustainable development, Sharif stressed the need for multilateralism, upholding the UN Charter, and resolving disputes peacefully. He advocated for innovation-driven growth within the SCO.
Sharif welcomed Laos as a new SCO Dialogue Partner and President Xi”s Global Governance Initiative. He praised China”s SCO chairmanship. The Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with SCO member and Dialogue Partner state leaders. Since becoming a full member in 2017, Pakistan has actively participated in SCO activities. Pakistan hosted the SCO CHG meeting in Islamabad in 2024. The CHS serves as SCO”s highest decision-making body.
