PM Shehbaz departs for three-day visit to Kyrgyz Republic

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday departed for a three-day official visit to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where he will address the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and present Pakistan’s stance on various regional and global issues, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a post on X.

The premier will also participate in the SCO Plus Summit, the PMO said, as well as the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games as a special guest.

During the visit, PM Shehbaz will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of various countries participating in the SCO summit, with the meetings involving “discussions on mutual relations, trade and investment, regional cooperation, and other matters of mutual interest.”

According to the PMO, PM Shehbaz will also hold a bilateral meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov. “The meeting will review all aspects of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan,” the PMO’s statement said. During the prime minister’s visit, “discussions will take place on trade and investment, energy, regional connectivity, education, tourism, and the promotion of people-to-people contacts.”

In an earlier post by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on X, it was announced that PM Shehbaz Sharif would undertake a three-day official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic from August 31 to September 2, participating in the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) meeting as well as bilateral engagements.

His visit, undertake upon invitation of President Zhaparov, will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Communication Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, among other senior officials, MoFA said.

“During his stay in Bishkek, the prime minister will participate in the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of State and the SCO Plus Summit,” MoFA had said, adding that PM Shehbaz would also “assume Pakistan’s Chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-2027.”

On the sidelines of the SCO engagements, the statement by MoFA read, PM Shehbaz will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of participating countries. On the last day of his visit, “the prime minister will hold bilateral discussions with President Zhaparov on the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations.”

MoFA added that the two sides “will comprehensively review Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations and discuss ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, energy, regional connectivity, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.”

PM Shehbaz and President Zhaparov “will also exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest and cooperation at regional and multilateral fora.”

MoFA concluded the statement noting that Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic “enjoy warm and fraternal relations, rooted in shared history, faith, and cultural affinity, as well as common aspirations for peace, connectivity, and prosperity in Central and South Asia.”

According to MoFA, PM Shehbaz’s visit “will provide 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.”

Read: Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan pledge stronger ties

The premier’s forthcoming visit would mark the second such visit by a Pakistani head of state to the Kyrgyz Republic in two months. In July, President Asif Ali Zardari went on a four-day official visit to the Central Asian country, marking the first visit by a Pakistani head of state in 21 years.

President Zhaparov visited Pakistan in December 2025, with Islamabad and Bishkek agreeing to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and regional connectivity while reaffirming their commitment to regional peace and stability.

The countries had agreed to increase bilateral trade to $200 million by 2027-28, signing a series of agreements and memorandums of understanding covering commerce, energy, mining, agriculture, tourism, healthcare, culture, customs cooperation, and the use of Pakistani ports to enhance regional connectivity. The nations also reaffirmed their support for the CASA-1000 electricity transmission project and welcomed the operationalisation of the road corridor under the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement (QTTA).