Pakistan urges SCO states to boost economic cooperation at Moscow summit

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged on Tuesday members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to accelerate economic cooperation and modernize the bloc to handle emerging regional and global challenges, according to state-run APP news agency.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a political and economic grouping that includes China, Russia, Pakistan, India, and Central Asian states.

Dar delivered his address at the organization’s 24th Council of Heads of Government meeting in Moscow.

He said the joint communique and documents adopted at the summit would support collective efforts to strengthen economic stability across the region. Dar added that the SCO’s broad agenda — covering trade, economic coordination, cultural exchange, and humanitarian cooperation — forms the basis of what he described as a “mature, future-oriented” organization.

Dar pointed to outcomes from a recent summit in Tianjin, noting that the bloc is shifting toward deeper economic integration. He highlighted growth in trade collaboration, improved infrastructure connectivity, investment partnerships, and the development of digital economies as central to long-term growth in the SCO region.

The deputy PM also emphasized the SCO’s role in strengthening humanitarian cooperation and disaster response. He said Pakistan has built a “technology-driven, proactive” disaster management system and is prepared to conduct simulation exercises with member states to enhance preparedness.

Dar called for stronger engagement with SCO observer and partner countries, saying the bloc must move past “passive observation” and involve them in project-based initiatives that utilize their expertise. He welcomed the adoption of English as a working language and proposed establishing translation units to improve the organization’s global outreach.

He outlined several proposals for practical cooperation, including activating financial tools such as the SCO Interbank Consortium and pushing forward plans for an SCO Development Bank to support connectivity and technical collaboration.

Dar also stressed the need to invest in human capital development. He proposed expanding the SCO University Network into a consortium focused on applied knowledge, enabling student exchanges and joint research in fields such as information technology, artificial intelligence, agriculture, water management, and telemedicine.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the bloc, Dar said the SCO should become a “launch pad for shared success,” driving innovation, interconnectedness, and deeper integration across the region.