PM heads to Kyrgyzstan as Pakistan assumes SCO chairmanship

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake a three-day official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic from 31 August to 2 September 2026 at the invitation of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov, Foreign Office announced on Monday morning.

The visit will include participation in the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting, as well as bilateral engagements in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Prime Minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Communication Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar, and senior officials.

During his stay in Bishkek, the Prime Minister will participate in the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of State and the SCO Plus Summit. The Prime Minister will also assume Pakistan’s Chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) for 2026–2027. On the sidelines of the SCO engagements, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of participating countries. The Prime Minister will also participate in the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games on 31 August 2026.

On 2 September 2026, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral discussions with President Sadyr Zhaparov on the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations.

The two sides will comprehensively review Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations and discuss ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, energy, regional connectivity, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest and cooperation at regional and multilateral fora.

Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic enjoy warm and fraternal relations, rooted in shared history, faith, and cultural affinity, as well as common aspirations for peace, connectivity, and prosperity in Central and South Asia. The forthcoming visit will provide an important opportunity to consolidate the momentum generated by recent high-level exchanges, translate political goodwill into enhanced practical cooperation, and further strengthen the enduring partnership between Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.

Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan have sought to deepen bilateral ties in recent years, with connectivity, trade and investment, energy and education emerging as key areas of cooperation. Pakistan views Kyrgyzstan as an important partner in Central Asia and has sought greater access to the region through transport and trade links, while Bishkek sees Pakistan’s ports and access to the Arabian Sea as offering potential routes to global markets. Bilateral relations have also been supported by growing contacts in higher education and people-to-people exchanges, including a sizeable number of Kyrgyz students and Pakistani students travelling between the two countries.

The visit comes as Pakistan seeks to strengthen its engagement with Central Asian states and use the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as a platform for regional connectivity and economic cooperation. Pakistan has particularly promoted projects linking Central Asia with its seaports through Afghanistan, while also exploring alternative transport and energy corridors. The prime minister’s assumption of the SCO Council of Heads of State chairmanship for 2026–27 will give Islamabad an opportunity to place greater emphasis on connectivity, economic integration and regional stability during its year-long tenure.