Pakistan announced that it would host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in August 2027, as an Indian delegation led by a senior MEA official attended a preparatory meeting in Islamabad—the first such official Indian visit to Pakistan since Operation Sindoor last year.

The three-day meeting of SCO National Coordinators that began on Monday (September 29, 2026) comes days after India and Pakistan sparred with each other over the issue of terrorism and the Kashmir dispute at the UN General Assembly (UNGA). External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif traded allegations in their national addresses, while Indian and Pakistani diplomats exercised their rights of reply to the speeches on the global stage last week. 

On Tuesday (September 29, 2026), India also rejected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s reference to Kashmir in his UNGA speech. 

The participation of Joint Secretary (Multilaterals and Economic Relations) Alok Dimri marked a higher level of Indian representation than at the past few meetings held under Pakistan’s Chairpersonship of the SCO this year. In mid-September, a meeting of SCO-Regional Anti-Terror Structure in Islamabad was attended by the Indian Charge d’affaires in Pakistan Satyapal Pandey, without a delegation from India. 

In a statement, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Pakistan’s SCO Chairship would promote the theme of “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity,” for 2026-207.  

“The [National Coordinator] meeting marks an important initial engagement under Pakistan’s Chairmanship and would contribute to preparations for various high-level engagements and activities to be undertaken during the Chairmanship, including the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State to be hosted by Pakistan in August 2027,” the MoFA statement issued in Islamabad said.

Indian officials made it clear that the SCO coordinators’ meet was being held in a multilateral format and hence had no particular significance for India-Pakistan bilateral ties. However, the participation does leave the path open to higher-level attendance at the Ministerial-level events and the Heads of Council meet, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited. Thus far, New Delhi has avoided the leaders’ meetings in both Delhi and Islamabad. 

In 2023, PM Modi hosted the SCO Heads of Council Summit virtually, while Mr. Jaishankar hosted Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in person for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Goa. In 2024, Mr. Jaishankar travelled to Islamabad to attend the SCO Heads of Government meeting as well. The MEA has thus far declined to comment on whether Mr. Modi would travel to Pakistan next year, but has not ruled it out either. 

At a briefing on Tuesday (September 29, 2026), MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal brushed aside a question about whether India would oppose the induction of Turkiye to the 10-nation SCO, which currently comprises China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus and four Central Asian States- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Turkish President Erdogan had told journalists earlier this month that Türkiye would pursue a “higher level” of engagement with the SCO than its observer status, indicating he could ask for full membership next year, particularly given close ties and the military pact with SCO host Pakistan.

“As and when any issue of membership comes it is for [SCO] members to collectively decide as to how to go forward on that,” Mr. Jaiswal said. He also criticised Mr. Erdogan for referring to Kashmir in his UNGA speech last week, when he called for a resolution of all South Asian disputes “including Kashmir”. 

“India rejects the unwarranted references to India and the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir made by the President of Türkiye during his address to the UN General Assembly. This is a matter, as you would understand, pertaining to India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and no external party has any locus standi on this issue,” Mr. Jaiswal said on Tuesday. 

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday (September 25, 2026) used the UN General Assembly podium to credit U.S. President Donald Trump for his “timely intervention” in the 2025 conflict with India, as he again raked up the Kashmir issue in his address at the world organisation.

India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 last year, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had killed 26 civilians. U.S. President Trump has repeatedly claimed, as recently as in his address to the UN General Assembly this week, that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan. New Delhi has consistently denied any third-party intervention.

Mr. Sharif thanked Mr. Trump for his “resolute and visionary leadership”, saying that the American leader’s “timely intervention” saved hundreds of millions of lives in South Asia.

In his about 23-minute address, Mr. Sharif also raised the issue of Kashmir, saying that to ensure South Asia never reaches that precipice of the conflict of 2025 again, a just and fair solution to the Kashmir issue is required.

India has repeatedly rejected Pakistan’s assertions on Kashmir made at the UNGA forum as well as on other UN platforms, saying that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.

As is done every year, India will field one of its youngest diplomats serving in its Permanent Mission to the UN to exercise its Right of Reply and respond to the Pakistani leader’s UNGA address.

In his speech, Mr. Sharif also spoke about the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which India has said will be held in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably ends its support for cross-border and all other forms of terrorism.

India decided to put the IWT in abeyance as part of a series of punitive diplomatic and economic measures unveiled soon after the Pahalgam terror attack.

In his address, Mr. Sharif also touted Pakistan’s efforts to broker peace between the U.S. and Iran in the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

“Pakistan chose to act swiftly through concerted efforts. Pakistan successfully brought Washington and Tehran under one roof in Islamabad. From the Islamabad talks to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, many historic steps were taken to bring an end to this serious conflict,” he said.

Mr. Sharif repeatedly thanked the Pakistan Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in his address, crediting his “relentless efforts” to help create “space for diplomacy under exceptionally difficult and challenging circumstances.”

Pakistan has vowed to deepen bilateral cooperation with Dhaka and Tehran, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met his Bangladesh counterpart Tarique Rahman and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Mr. Sharif posted on X, on Friday (September 25, 2026), saying he had a “warm and most cordial” exchange with Mr. Rahman.

“In our most useful discussion, Prime Minister Rehman and I agreed to further deepen Pakistan-Bangladesh bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, while maintaining close coordination between our two countries on regional and global issues as well as at multilateral fora,” the Prime Minister said.

Mr. Sharif also congratulated Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rehman on assuming the presidency of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.

The meeting comes as Dhaka seeks to strengthen ties with countries like Pakistan and China, while relations with neighbouring India remain strained.

In his meeting with Mr. Pezeshkian, Mr. Sharif said he “reaffirmed the deep and longstanding bonds between Pakistan and Iran” and their “shared desire to further strengthen bilateral cooperation” across all areas of mutual interest.

“We also had an important exchange on the evolving regional situation,” the prime minister said in a social media post on Thursday (September 24, 2026). “I reiterated Pakistan’s deep concern over the prolonged conflict and stressed the urgent need for restraint, de-escalation and sustained diplomacy.”

“We remain committed to building on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and will continue to play a sincere and constructive role in the pursuit of lasting peace and stability in the region,” Mr. Sharif said.

He added that he deeply values Mr. Pezeshkian’s commitment to “Pakistan-Iran friendship” and the “close coordination for regional peace at this critical juncture”.

The meeting between the two leaders came days after Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Tehran for talks with Iranian leaders and officials, seeking to revive Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Iran and the U.S. amid a continuing standoff.

Pakistan has been playing a key mediator between Tehran and Washington to revive stalled negotiations. The two parties had signed an interim peace agreement in June, which Islamabad also signed as a “guarantor”, but the process has been disrupted after military escalation by both sides.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the U.S. and Iran have agreed on the text of a peace deal, kindling hope of a diplomatic breakthrough in the region.

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“Amid ongoing intense mediation efforts by Pakistan, we are fully aware of incessant misinformation campaign being waged by those who want to sabotage the peace deal,” Mr. Shehbaz said in a social media post on Friday (June 13, 2026).

“Setting aside the noise, we can confirm that a final, agreed upon text of the peace deal has been reached and Pakistan is now working closely with both sides to finalise the next steps,” he said.

The Prime Minister added that “peace has never been this close as it is now.” Mr. Shehbaz also tagged US President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary Marco Rubio, as well as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the post that came after a barrage of reporting on the possible deal.

There was no immediate reaction from the White House or Iranian authorities on Mr. Shehbaz’s assertion.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi had suggested progress in the negotiations, saying the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer”.

“Pending its finalisation, the media should refrain from entering speculation about its content. In line with our responsible and transparent approach, all details will be shared with the public in due course,” he said in a social media post, without providing any details.

President Trump also shared Mr. Araghchi’s post on his own social media, but without giving any details about the emerging deal.

Meanwhile, Mr. Vance said there is “a lot of fake information” circulating about a potential deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end Iran’s nuclear weapons programme.

“The Iranians are not receiving any cash, and no funds are being released for simply signing a deal or attending a meeting,” Mr. Vance said in a social media post.

He said the proposed arrangement was structured to address the concerns of the U.S. and its allies and that economic benefits would accrue to Iran only if it fulfilled its obligations.

“This deal has the potential to remake the region and lead to lasting peace,” Mr. Vance said, while cautioning against reliance on unconfirmed media reports and anonymous social media claims.

“The President is going to get us a good outcome, one way or the other,” he said.

Senior Iranian and American delegations met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Saturday (April 11, 2026) to begin negotiations towards a deal to end the West Asia war unleashed six weeks earlier by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran.

With the talks underway at Islamabad’s Serena Hotel, Iranian media said the negotiating format going forward had yet to be determined, and it was not clear whether the two sides would meet face-to-face or continue to exchange messages via the Pakistanis.

Pakistan on Sunday (January 18, 2026) said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also been invited by U.S. President Donald Trump to join the Board of Peace for Gaza.

India has also been invited to join the board by Mr. Trump, sources in New Delhi said. Apart from India and Pakistan, at least four more countries have been invited to join the board on Sunday (January 18) — Hungary, Jordan, Greece, Cyprus.

The White House released a list of appointed members to the founding Executive Board of the Board of Peace on Friday (January 16) as the country moved to the second phase of Mr. Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza.

President Trump has already declared himself as the chair of the body.

In response to media queries, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tahir Andrabi confirmed that Pakistan did get a formal invitation.

“The Prime Minister of Pakistan has received the invitation from the President of the United States to join the Board of Peace on Gaza,” Mr. Andrabi said in a statement.

“Pakistan will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions,” he added.

He, however, did not elaborate on the issue.

The White House said the Board of Peace comprises leaders with “experience across diplomacy, development, infrastructure, and economic strategy” as it invited the heads of around 60 states, including those of Turkiye, Egypt, Argentina, Indonesia, Italy, Morocco, the U.K., Germany, Canada, and Australia to join the peace body.

U.S.’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Mr. Trump’s senior negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are also part of the panel.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday (December 23, 2025) offered talks to the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf to ease political tension in the country, days after the party founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in jail each in a corruption case.

Mr. Sharif made the offer while presiding over a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad after recent overtures by the opposition leaders.

“These days, PTI and its allies are talking about dialogue. I have repeatedly stated in the National Assembly that if the PTI is serious about negotiations, the government is equally prepared,” the Prime Minister said.

Mr. Sharif also said that talks could only move forward if they focused on “legitimate issues” and were free of “blackmailing”. He stressed that political harmony among all parties was essential for Pakistan’s development and prosperity.

His offer comes days after the opposition alliance – Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) – of which PTI is a part, said that its door to dialogue was open.

The issue of talks between the opposition, mainly the PTI, and the government has been in the news, but no concrete steps have been taken by any side to kick-start the process.

Last year in December, the PTI and government officials started a dialogue, but the process was stalled on issues like the formation of two judicial commissions to probe the protests of May 9, 2023 and Nov 26, 2024, and the release of PTI prisoners.

The offer for talks comes ahead of anticipated protests by Khan’s supporters in the coming days. Khan had recently called for countrywide demonstrations following his conviction in a corruption case.

The ongoing incarceration of Khan and critical remarks from his party leaders have contributed to an atmosphere of uncertainty.

Khan, 73, who has been in jail since August 2023, faces multiple cases launched against him since his ouster from power in April 2022.

Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in jail each by a court on Saturday (December 20, 2025) in the Toshakhana 2 corruption case.

Pakistan’s top leaders on Monday (October 20, 2025) extended Deepavali greetings to the minority Hindu community members, reiterating commitment to protect the rights of minorities in the country.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan is a land of peace and tolerance where there is no room for hatred, chaos and terrorism.

At a ceremony held at Prime Minister House here in connection with Deepavali, the Prime Minister paid tribute to the services and contributions of Pakistan’s minority communities in different fields of life.

“Presence of representatives of different religions in this event embodies the very ideals of Pakistan as were envisioned by its founding father Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah where all citizens enjoy equal rights and freedoms,” he said.

Mr. Shehbaz said that Muslim and non-Muslim Pakistanis continue to move in unison to thwart any nefarious design against the country. “The entire Pakistani nation stands united and resolute alongside the security forces to defeat the menace of terrorism and hatred from the country,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the majority Muslim population of Pakistan has always expressed strong indignation at any despicable acts against the minority communities of the country and stood in unequivocal solidarity with them in any such times.

He also highlighted some of the major policy steps taken by the government to ensure protection of minorities rights in Pakistan and promote interfaith harmony.

Mr. Shehbaz mentioned the representation of all minority communities in the Parliament, five per cent quota in government jobs, scholarships for the minority community students, the Interfaith Harmony Policy approved by the federal cabinet and the National Commission for Minorities’ Rights Bill passed by Parliament.

Minister of State for Religious Affairs Kesoo Mal Kheal Das said on the occasion that Pakistan is an emblem of interfaith harmony and peace in the world.  According to state-run Radio Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari in his message said that the festival of Deepavali “reminds us of the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil”.

He noted that the Constitution guaranteed equal rights and complete freedom of religion to all citizens.

Mr. Zardari also lauded the services of Hindu community in education, commerce, and public service.

Earlier, Mr. Shehbaz in his message extended his “heartfelt greetings” to the Hindu community in Pakistan and around the world, wishing them a happy Deepavali.

“As homes and hearts are illuminated with the light of Diwali, may this festival dispel darkness, foster harmony, and guide us all toward a future of peace, compassion, and shared prosperity,” he said in a post on social media platform X.

“The spirit of Deepavali that embodies light over darkness, good over evil, and hope over despair inspires our collective resolve to overcome the challenges confronting our societies, from intolerance to inequality,” he said.

He called on people to work together to ensure that all citizens could live in peace and contribute to progress, regardless of their faith or background.