Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday arrived in 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.
According to the Government of Pakistan on X, upon arrival, PM Shehbaz was received at Manas International Airport by Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev.
Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif upon his arrival at Manas International Airport, BISHKEK. 🇵🇰🇰🇬 pic.twitter.com/0oS6TJOehw
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 31, 2026
Earlier, the PMO said that PM Shehbaz departed for a three-day official visit to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to address and to participate in the SCO Plus Summit. He will also attend 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.”
وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف تین روزہ دورے پر کرغستان کے دارالحکومت بشکیک کیلئے روانہ ہوگئے.
وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف شنگھائی تعاون تنظیم کے سربراہی اجلاس سے خطاب کریں گے اور مختلف علاقائی و عالمی امور پر پاکستان کا مؤقف پیش کریں گے۔ وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف ایس سی او پلس سربراہی… pic.twitter.com/jGJacR2oF8
— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) August 31, 2026
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.”
🔊PR No.2️⃣3️⃣0️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣
Curtain Raiser: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s Official Visit to the Kyrgyz Republic (31 August-2 September, 2026)
🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/d81CV1kGdI
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 31, 2026
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).
