PM Shehbaz says water ‘lifeblood’ of region, must never be weaponised

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said water was the “lifeblood” of South Asia and must never be weaponised, as he addressed a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Kyrgyzstan.

Speaking at the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, the premier said the region cannot “realise its full potential without lasting peace”.

Without naming India directly, he highlighted the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and demanded that it be honoured.

“Water is the lifeblood of our region. It sustains millions of lives, nourishes our land and secures the very future of our coming generations,” he noted.

He stressed that it “must never be weaponised; it cannot be used as an instrument of coercion, nor can it ever be exploited for political leverage”.

“The treaties governing our shared waters are solemn, binding international commitments. They are not matters of political convenience to be cast aside at your will. They must be honoured unconditionally, in both letter and spirit.”

Speaking on the issue of terrorism, PM Shehbaz said terrorism remained “one of the gravest threats that has affected our entire region in its various forms and manifestations”.

As chair of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, Pakistan has “worked actively to strengthen regional counter-terrorism cooperation”, he highlighted.

“Few nations have fought against the scourge of terrorism as resolutely and valiantly as Pakistan. In the past two and a half decades, we have sacrificed more than 90,000 lives and endured economic losses of over $150 billion in combatting terrorism.”

Pakistan sought a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, he said, adding: “But let there be no ambiguity; so long as terrorists continue to use Afghan territory to shed the blood of innocent Pakistanis and other nations, lasting peace will remain beyond our reach.”

PM Shehbaz was welcomed by the Kyrgyz president upon his arrival at the summit’s venue on Tuesday, and later posed with other world leaders for a group photo.

Other leaders from China, Iran, Turkiye, Russia, and India are also in Kyrgyzstan for the two-day summit. The regional bloc, which also includes Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Taking SCO chair, Pakistan proposes ‘excellent plan’

During the visit, Pakistan is set to assume the chairmanship of the SCO’s Council of Heads of State for 2026–27, with next year’s CHS summit to be hosted by Islamabad.

“As Pakistan assumes the chairmanship of the SCO, we are proposing an excellent plan that will prioritise key sectors, including IT and AI, energy development, poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports,” PM Shehbaz said during his address.

As part of that plan, Pakistan proposed establishing an SCO framework for sovereign AI infrastructure and governance to “promote responsible and inclusive AI development and to also ensure that no member state is left behind”.

The prime minister said Pakistan’s SCO chairmanship will be pursued under the theme, ‘Turning vision into action, connectivity, innovation and shared prosperity’.

“We undertake this responsibility with humility, hope and abiding faith that connectivity will bring our peoples closer, innovation will open new doors of opportunity, and shared prosperity will reach every home,” the premier said.

He called for turning the SCO vision into action and its promises into progress.

The premier noted that the SCO region was inhabited by over 3bn people and blessed with abundant natural resources. “This extraordinary potential also places upon us SCO leaders an extraordinary responsibility to shape a better future for our peoples.”

He recalled that he has long advocated for regional connectivity as the “key to our prosperity”.

“Today, connectivity is no longer a choice; it is a strategic imperative. The regional crisis has also proven that diversified transport networks, secure energy corridors and resilient supply chains are indispensable to our collective security.”

PM Shehbaz said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) continued to “serve as a gateway, linking the regional economies to the Arabian Sea”.

He affirmed that Islamabad remained committed to advancing existing trans-regional railway projects, road connectivity initiatives and regional energy projects.

The prime minister called for ensuring the implementation of the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, adding that the establishment of the SCO Development Bank would be a “critical step” in this regard.

As the permanent chair of the Special Working Group of the SCO on Poverty Reduction, Pakistan will continue to strengthen social protection and promote inclusive and sustainable development across the SCO region, he pledged.

‘Global landscape marked by intensifying geopolitical tensions’

At the outset of his speech, PM Shehbaz congratulated the Kyrgyz Republic on the completion of its “successful SCO chairmanship and for making impressive contributions to further advance practical cooperation among the SCO members”.

The prime minister also felicitated the leadership and people of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan for their respective independence days.

The premier described the gathering as “historic” and extended his gratitude to Kyrgyz President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Japarov and his team for their hospitality and “excellent arrangements” made for the summit.

“Guided by the Shanghai spirit, Pakistan takes great pride in being part of the SCO, as we celebrate 25 years of this remarkable journey, a milestone for which I congratulate all fellow members,” PM Shehbaz told the summit.

“From a tender sapling, the SCO has grown into a towering tree, providing the shade of security and stability for all of us.”

The premier noted that today’s global landscape “is marked by intensifying geopolitical tensions, fragmenting global economy, escalating climate crises and unprecedented technological transformation”.

“In such a complex environment, the SCO represents our collective resolve to navigate through these enormous challenges together and deliver peace, security and prosperity to our peoples,” he observed.

The prime minister affirmed that Pakistan “consistently upholds and respects the core principles of both the UN and SCO charters”. “We remain committed to resolving disputes peacefully through international law, adhering strictly to the guidelines of the SCO charter.”

He highlighted that in line with this spirit, Islamabad “staunchly advocated peace when the sovereignty and territorial integrity of an SCO member state was violated earlier this year, triggering a major regional crisis”.

PM Shehbaz then noted that Pakistan and the international community have “borne a heavy economic cost” as the “closure of critical energy supply routes” disrupted the global economy, referring to the Strait of Hormuz.

“In these challenging times, Pakistan has consistently acted as an honest and sincere mediator and facilitator,” he affirmed.

He recalled that Islamabad’s “sustained diplomatic efforts culminated in the signing of the landmark Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding” in June, terming the document a “critical step towards regional de-escalation and the restoration of peace”.

The premier noted that peace-building efforts were continuing and extended his “deepest gratitude to the brotherly and friendly countries, many of whom are represented here today, for their unwavering support throughout this endeavour”.

“We firmly believe that the Islamabad MoU offers the most viable and enduring pathway to lasting peace in the region.”

He then noted the signing of the trilateral defence pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye last month, named the “Makkah Defence Alliance”.

The prime minister reiterated that the pact was “fundamentally defensive in nature and is neither directed against any state nor intended to create any confrontation or division whatsoever”.

He emphasised that while Pakistan has always strived to strengthen multilateralism, “multilateral organisations must be empowered to translate aspirations into action”.

“The plight of the innocent people of Gaza and West Bank continues unabated, causing unimaginable suffering. Palestinian mothers endure the profound grief of mourning their children, families remain torn apart, and entire generations continue to live under a perpetual shadow of fear, deprivation and gross injustice.”

The premier called upon the international community to honour its commitment to “help the Palestinian people, alongside all other oppressed nations, secure their fundamental right to self-determination”.

PM Shehbaz had reached Kyrgyzstan for the summit on Monday, with the PMO saying in a statement that he would address the heads of states gathering and “present Pakistan’s stance on various regional and global issues”.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar were accompanying the prime minister.

According to FO, PM Shehbaz will also hold bilateral discussions with the Kyrgyz president on the “entire spectrum of Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations” on September 2.

Dar meets Iran, China FMs

Separately, Dar met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday and stressed that the “sincere implementation” of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was the only way forward amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to the Foreign Office (FO).

They shared these views as they met on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, where Dar arrived a day ago to join the prime minister.

The FO described the meeting between Dar and Araghchi as a “warm exchange”.

It said the two ministers exchanged views on bilateral relations and regional developments and reaffirmed the importance of continued engagement.

“The DPM underscored that dialogue and diplomacy remain essential to promoting peace and stability in the region, and that sincere implementation by both parties to the conflict of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding of June 2026 remains the only way forward,” the FO said in a statement on X.

The MoU, signed in June, provided a framework for ending the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. It was a result of mediation efforts spearheaded by Pakistan and others.

In April, Pakistan also brokered a ceasefire between the US and Iran.

The April ceasefire put an end to the most intense fighting, but sporadic attacks, mainly around the Strait of Hormuz, have dimmed the prospects of a final peace agreement.

A day ago, PM Shehbaz had met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the summit in Bishkek and underscored the need to build on the understandings reached under the Islamabad MoU.

On his part, Pezeshkian appreciated Pakistan’s “consistent diplomatic efforts for regional peace and security”, a Prime Minister’s Office statement detailing the meeting said.

The prime minister also met the Uzbek president as part of his bilateral engagements on Monday.

On the sidelines of the SCO summit today, DPM “held a warm and cordial exchange” with China’s FM Wang Yi, FO said.

Both leaders reaffirmed the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China.

They also discussed matters of mutual interest, including the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session this month in New York and the ongoing process for the election of the next UN secretary-general.

DPM Dar also met with Belarusian FM Maxim Ryzhenkov. They discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, FO said.