Pakistan’s SCO Chairmanship 2026–27: From Coordination to Delivery

This Insight by Dr. Faisal Javaid examines the opportunities and challenges facing Pakistan during its chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. It highlights the need to translate diplomatic coordination into tangible outcomes, particularly through regional connectivity linking Central Asia and Russia to the Arabian Sea and progress toward an SCO Development Bank. The analysis identifies key risks, including India-Pakistan tensions, Afghanistan’s instability, regional conflicts, and implementation gaps. It recommends measurable deliverables, economic cooperation, consensus-based diplomacy, and stronger regional integration ahead of the Islamabad summit in August 2027.