PM Shehbaz Urges Regional Security and Stability at SCO Summit in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD, October 16,2026: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his opening remarks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, called for greater regional security and stability.
The high-stakes summit is being held at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad and is presided over by the Prime Minister.
It marks the 23rd meeting of the SCO Council of the Heads of Governments (CHG) and is considered the highest-profile event Pakistan has hosted in recent years.
The summit began with a formal welcome to the leaders, followed by a group photo.
According to the Foreign Office, the discussions at the summit will center on deepening cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, and regional security. Observers note that the SCO is also seen as a platform for countering Western influence in the region.
In his speech, PM Shehbaz emphasized that regional powers are at a pivotal moment of transition, with sweeping global changes reshaping the social, political, economic, and security landscape.
From this esteemed platform of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a beacon of multilateralism, I stand in the belief that we possess not only the potential but also have the determination to build a future that is both more prosperous and secure for its people, he said.
The SCO, founded in 2001, is a key Eurasian security and political group comprising China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Iran.
The organization claims to represent around 40% of the world’s population and approximately 30% of global GDP.
However, despite its growing influence, SCO members often have differing political systems and varying opinions on key regional issues.
The summit is expected to provide a crucial platform for dialogue and cooperation among the member states, despite their political differences.
