Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urges SCO to hold Afghan Taliban accountable, saying terrorism originating from Afghan territory remains one of the region’s most serious security threats. Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Cholpon-Ata, he called for stronger regional cooperation against militant groups.
Dar said Pakistan seeks a peaceful, stable, regionally connected and prosperous Afghanistan, describing it as a shared interest for all SCO member states. He stressed that sustainable peace in the region depends on collective efforts to eliminate terrorism and promote economic cooperation among neighboring countries.
The foreign minister said militant organizations, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), continue to recruit, train and launch attacks from Afghan soil. He noted that more than 560 Pakistanis have been killed in over 2,000 terrorist incidents during the current year.
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Statement by the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 at the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyz Republic (24 July 2026)
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— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 24, 2026
Ishaq Dar urges SCO to hold Afghan Taliban accountable by asking the interim Afghan authorities to honor their counterterrorism commitments. He said lasting regional peace and development would only be possible if terrorism was eliminated and all countries fulfilled their responsibilities under international commitments.
Highlighting Pakistan’s diplomatic initiatives, Dar said dialogue and diplomacy remain the only sustainable solutions to regional conflicts. He referred to the Islamabad Talks between Iran and the United States in April 2026, saying they resulted in the first high-level direct engagement between the two countries in 47 years and led to the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
He also cautioned that forces opposed to regional stability could attempt to derail peace efforts and reverse diplomatic progress. Dar urged the international community to support ongoing negotiations and seize the opportunity created by the Islamabad MoU to achieve a lasting and peaceful settlement.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Dar said the country’s progress from observer status in 2005 to full membership in 2017 reflected its dedication to multilateral cooperation. He added that Pakistan currently chairs the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure for 2025-26 and is preparing to assume the SCO chairmanship before hosting the SCO summit in 2027.
