Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said water is the “lifeblood” of the region and must never be weaponized, as Pakistan assumes chairmanship of SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-27.
Addressing a summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Kyrgyzstan, he said the region cannot “realize its full potential without lasting peace.” Without naming India directly, he highlighted the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty and demanded it be honored.
“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 said, stressing it “must never be weaponized; it cannot be used as an instrument of coercion, nor can it ever be exploited for political leverage.”
Maintaining that treaties governing shared waters are “solemn, binding international commitments,” he emphasized that they cannot be cast aside out of political convenience. “They must be honored unconditionally, in both letter and spirit,” he added.
On terrorism, the prime minister said it remained “one of the gravest threats that has affected our entire region in its various forms and manifestations.” He noted that Pakistan has “worked actively to strengthen regional counter-terrorism cooperation” as chair of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure. “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,” he added.
Sharif said Pakistan wanted a peaceful and stable Afghanistan but this was not possible so long as terrorists continued to use Afghan soil to stage terrorist attacks targeting Pakistani lives.
The prime minister also referred to Pakistan’s mediation efforts in the U.S.-Iran war and laid out the country’s plan as it assumed the chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State.
“As Pakistan assumes the chairmanship of the SCO, we are proposing an excellent plan that will prioritize key sectors, including I.T. and A.I., energy development, poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports,” he said.
As part of that plan, he proposed establishing an SCO framework for sovereign A.I. infrastructure and governance to “promote responsible and inclusive A.I. development and to also ensure that no member state is left behind.” He said Pakistan’s SCO chairmanship would be pursued under the theme, ‘Turning vision into action, connectivity, innovation and shared prosperity.’
He stressed that Pakistan assumes 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.”
Sharif also called for turning the SCO vision into action and its promises into progress. “Let us move forward together with the resolve that, in a time of uncertainty, history will record the SCO as having chosen cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over division, and hope over fear,” he said. “Let history record that the SCO did not merely witness a changing world; we shaped it together,” he added.
Noting the SCO region comprises over 3 billion people, he said it is 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 said, recalling he had long advocated for regional connectivity as the “key to our prosperity.”
Emphasizing that connectivity was no longer a choice but a strategic imperative, he added: “The regional crisis has also proven that diversified transport networks, secure energy corridors and resilient supply chains are indispensable to our collective security.” He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) continued to “serve as a gateway, linking the regional economies to the Arabian Sea.” Islamabad, he said, remained committed to advancing existing trans-regional railway projects, road connectivity initiatives and regional energy projects.
Sharif further called for ensuring the implementation of the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, adding 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, he vowed Pakistan would continue to strengthen social protection and promote inclusive and sustainable development across the SCO region.
During his speech, the prime minister said Pakistan took great pride in being part of the SCO. “From a tender sapling, the SCO has grown into a towering tree, providing the shade of security and stability for all of us,” he said, noting today’s global landscape “is marked by intensifying geopolitical tensions, fragmenting global economy, escalating climate crises and unprecedented technological transformation.”
Amidst this complex situation, he said, “the SCO represents our collective resolve to navigate through these enormous challenges together and deliver peace, security and prosperity to our peoples.” He affirmed that Pakistan “consistently upholds and respects the core principles of both the U.N. and SCO charters.”
Referring to Iran, he said that Islamabad had “staunchly advocated peace when the sovereignty and territorial integrity of an SCO member state was violated earlier this year, triggering a major regional crisis.” He regretted that Pakistan and the international community had “borne a heavy economic cost” due to the closure of critical energy supply routes, stressing the country has “consistently” acted as an honest and sincere mediator and facilitator throughout the crisis.
Sharif recalled 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.” He maintained peace-building efforts were ongoing and extended his “deepest gratitude to the brotherly and friendly countries, many of whom are represented here today, for their unwavering support throughout this endeavor.”
He said Pakistan firmly believed that the Islamabad MoU offered the most viable and enduring pathway to lasting peace in the region.
Additionally, the prime minister referred to the trilateral defense pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye last month, reiterating it was “fundamentally defensive in nature and is neither directed against any state nor intended to create any confrontation or division whatsoever.”
Sharif also referred to the ongoing crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. “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,” he said, calling upon the international community to honor its commitment to “help the Palestinian people, alongside all other oppressed nations, secure their fundamental right to self-determination.”