Dushanbe, October 20,2026: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday stressed that stability in Afghanistan was essential for safeguarding regional peace and security, urging the Afghan Taliban to ensure that their territory was not used for terrorist activities against Pakistan or any other country.
Addressing the narrow-format session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Dar said Pakistan remained committed to a peaceful, stable, regionally integrated and prosperous Afghanistan that maintained peaceful relations with its neighbours.
“We have made sincere efforts to support Afghanistan’s development and the well-being of its people,” the deputy prime minister said, adding that Islamabad had only one expectation from the Afghan Taliban regime in return: Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism against Pakistan or the rest of the world.
“Sustainable economic development cannot be guaranteed without durable peace and security in the region,” he added.
Dar said Pakistan considered a peaceful and stable neighbourhood an essential foundation for regional development and prosperity.
Since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a rise in cross-border terrorist incidents, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Pakistan recorded its highest monthly number of terrorist attacks in 12 years during September 2026. Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent militant organisations from using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan maintains that the Afghan Taliban authorities have failed to take effective action against groups responsible for attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.
Turning to regional economic cooperation, the deputy prime minister stressed the need for targeted investments in energy and transport to strengthen connectivity and promote economic integration among SCO member states.
“For our region to achieve seamless economic integration, targeted investments in core sectors, most notably in energy and transport, are vital,” he said.
Dar said Pakistan advocated expanding investment in high-potential sectors, including agriculture, mining and minerals, and information technology, to build a resilient and interconnected regional economy.
He also highlighted the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as an opportunity for SCO member states to participate in and accelerate regional economic integration.
Pakistan believes that artificial intelligence, digital transformation, innovation, energy cooperation and international information security should become important pillars of future cooperation within the organisation, he added.
Dar said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had unveiled Pakistan’s vision for its SCO chairmanship under the theme “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity”.
The deputy prime minister also called for accelerating efforts to promote the use of national currencies in mutual settlements and establishing the SCO Development Bank, SCO Development Fund and an Investment Fund.
He said these mechanisms could help advance development initiatives and strengthen the region’s ability to withstand international financial shocks.
Dar’s address underscored Pakistan’s emphasis on combining regional security cooperation with economic connectivity, investment and financial collaboration to advance shared prosperity among SCO member states.
