Shehbaz Meets Xi, Putin and Regional Leaders at SCO Summit
BISHKEK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a series of informal exchanges with some of the region's most influential leaders on Tuesday during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, placing Pakistan's bilateral and regional priorities at the centre of high-level diplomatic activity in the Kyrgyz capital. The interactions took place alongside the 26th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State.
Among the leaders who met the Pakistani prime minister were Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Shehbaz also interacted with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, as well as the presidents of Belarus, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. Officials said bilateral, regional and wider international issues featured in the conversations.
The meetings were informal rather than announced as separate structured bilateral summits, and no detailed agreements were disclosed from the exchanges. Their significance, however, lies in the range of governments represented. China is Pakistan's major strategic and economic partner, while Russia has increasingly engaged Islamabad on trade, energy and regional connectivity. Turkiye maintains close political and defence ties with Pakistan, while developments involving neighbouring Iran remain important to Islamabad's security and diplomatic calculations.
The interactions came during a summit carrying additional importance for Pakistan as Islamabad moves into a more prominent role within the SCO framework. Pakistan is set to assume the chairmanship of the organisation's Council of Heads of State for 2026-27, giving it responsibility for coordinating a period of regional engagement involving major Eurasian powers and neighbouring states. Islamabad is also expected to host the next meeting of SCO heads of state in 2027.
Earlier at the summit venue, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov welcomed Shehbaz on his arrival. The Pakistani prime minister subsequently joined leaders of the SCO's 10 member states for the official group photograph before formal proceedings began. The gathering brought together countries with major interests in regional security, trade corridors, energy cooperation and political stability across South and Central Asia.
Pakistan has used the Bishkek summit to emphasise diplomacy, regional connectivity and cooperation on security challenges. The presence of the Chinese, Russian, Turkish and Iranian presidents provided Islamabad with opportunities to maintain direct political contact at a time when developments across the Middle East and Eurasia continue to affect Pakistan's economic and security environment. Such engagement is particularly relevant to energy supplies, cross-border trade, investment and connectivity projects linking Pakistan with Central Asia.
The next phase will focus on whether these informal exchanges translate into formal bilateral engagements or policy initiatives during Pakistan's SCO chairmanship. Islamabad is expected to use its leadership role to advance regional economic links, counter-terrorism cooperation and diplomatic coordination while preparing for the 2027 summit. Further official statements are likely to clarify any specific understandings emerging from Shehbaz's meetings with individual leaders.