Dar, Wang Yi review bilateral ties, regional cooperation on SCO sidelines

CHOLPON-ATA: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday held a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), reviewing bilateral relations, regional developments and cooperation at multilateral forums.

According to the Foreign Office, the two ministers held a warm and productive exchange of views, with Dar thanking Wang Yi for appreciating Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to promote regional peace and stability, as highlighted during the SCO-CFM proceedings.

Wang Yi also conveyed his best wishes to Pakistan on its upcoming chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State and the country's hosting of the SCO summit in 2027.

Earlier, Dar called on Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov at his state residence in Cholpon-Ata, where the two leaders discussed regional and international developments, as well as the SCO's growing role in promoting regional cooperation.

The deputy prime minister conveyed the greetings of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and thanked the Kyrgyz leadership for the warm hospitality extended to the Pakistani delegation during the SCO foreign ministers' meeting.

He also highlighted the importance of close collaboration among SCO member states as Pakistan prepares to assume the organisation's chairmanship for 2026-27.

Dar is leading Pakistan's delegation to the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting at the invitation of Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Zheenbek Kulubaev. Foreign ministers from Pakistan, China, Russia, India, Iran, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are participating in the two-day meeting.

The SCO Council of Foreign Ministers is the organisation's third-highest decision-making forum and focuses on international affairs, regional security and foreign policy coordination among member states.

Before arriving in Kyrgyzstan, Dar attended the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Manila, where he called for sustained dialogue to preserve recent diplomatic gains in the Gulf and urged the international community to support efforts aimed at securing lasting regional peace.

On the sidelines of the ARF, the deputy prime minister also held bilateral meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and several other counterparts to discuss regional developments and enhance cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy and multilateral diplomacy.