ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday reached Kyrgyzstan for a three-day visit during which he will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Summit (SCO) and hold bilateral talks.
He is visiting the country at the invitation of President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov, according to an official statement by the foreign office.
"The visit will include participation in the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting, as well as bilateral engagements in the Kyrgyz Republic," the foreign office said.
During his stay in Bishkek, Sharif will also participate in the SCO Plus Summit and will assume Pakistan's chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-2027.
The 10-member SCO was founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with India and Pakistan joining as full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.
On the sidelines of the SCO engagements, Sharif will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of participating countries and participate in the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games on Monday.
On Wednesday, Sharif will hold bilateral talks with President Zhaparov on the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations.
The two sides are scheduled to discuss ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, energy, regional connectivity, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest and cooperation at regional and multilateral fora.
According to FO, the visit provides 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".
Sharif is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Communication Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister for Information Ataullah Tarar, and senior officials.
