BISHKEK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned Tuesday against using water as a political weapon, telling fellow leaders at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit that water “must never be weaponised or used as an instrument of coercion.”
Sharif made the remarks while addressing the SCO’s Council of Heads of State summit in Bishkek, shortly after Pakistan assumed the organization’s rotating chairmanship for 2026-27. Pakistan’s one-year term will conclude with Islamabad hosting the next Council of Heads of State summit in 2027.
During its chairmanship, Pakistan will direct the SCO’s activities and push to deepen cooperation among member states on regional security, economic development and connectivity.
“South Asia cannot realise its true potential without lasting peace. Water is the lifeblood of our region; it sustains millions of lives, nourishes our land,” Sharif said.
He said water “must never be weaponised” and “can it ever be exploited for political leverage,” adding that it must not be used as a tool of coercion.
Sharif called the SCO an important platform for global peace and stability, noting the organization’s 25th anniversary as a significant milestone. He described Pakistan as an active and responsible member that views the SCO as a symbol of collective resolve in addressing shared challenges.
The prime minister said rising geopolitical tensions were reshaping the global landscape and reaffirmed that Islamabad supports the peaceful resolution of conflicts and adherence to international law.
“Pakistan has played an effective role in promoting peace during the regional crisis,” he said, crediting Islamabad’s diplomacy with helping bring about the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the United States. He called the MoU an important step toward easing regional tensions and said international agreements must be implemented in keeping with both their spirit and their letter.
Sharif also pointed to terrorism as one of the most serious threats facing the region, saying Pakistan has lost more than 90,000 lives fighting militancy and suffered over $150 billion in economic losses as a result.
With more than 3 billion people living across the SCO region, Sharif said stronger regional connectivity is a strategic necessity rather than a choice. He said recent crises had underscored the importance of secure energy corridors and called for greater investment in regional rail, road and energy projects.
He pointed to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as a key link between regional economies and the Arabian Sea, and urged member states to implement the SCO Development Strategy 2035. He also welcomed the planned establishment of an SCO Development Bank as an important step forward.
Sharif said Pakistan would continue to contribute to poverty alleviation and social protection efforts across the bloc, adding that energy and information technology would be priority areas during Pakistan’s chairmanship.
Earlier in the day, SCO leaders, including Sharif, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, signed the summit’s formal declaration.
Sharif is on a three-day official visit to Kyrgyzstan, from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2, where he is attending the summit and the SCO Plus Summit alongside a series of bilateral meetings.
