Pakistan PM Says Water Must Never Be Weaponised at SCO Summit

PM Shehbaz Calls Water 'Lifeblood' at SCO Summit

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where he described water as the "lifeblood" of the region and said it "must never be weaponised." He argued that the region cannot "realise its full potential without lasting peace."

Speaking without directly naming India, Sharif highlighted the Indus Waters Treaty and demanded that it be honoured. "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. He stressed that water "must never be weaponised; it cannot be used as an instrument of coercion, nor can it ever be exploited for political leverage."

"The treaties governing our shared waters are solemn, binding international commitments. They are not matters of political convenience to be cast aside at your will. They must be honoured unconditionally, in both letter and spirit," he added.

The remarks come amid an ongoing dispute over the Indus Waters Treaty. India decided to put the treaty in abeyance as part of punitive measures following the Pahalgam terror attack in April last year that killed 26 civilians, as reported by India Today. Pakistan approached the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in March this year to determine the treaty's status. India rejected the court's order setting aside its suspension, calling the body "illegally-constituted" and lacking jurisdiction. India has never recognised the "existence in law of this illegally-constituted and so-called Court of Arbitration," according to India Today.

Terrorism and Afghanistan

On terrorism, Sharif said it remained "one of the gravest threats that has affected our entire region in its various forms and manifestations." He noted that Pakistan, as chair of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, had "worked actively to strengthen regional counter-terrorism cooperation."

"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 said.

Turning to Afghanistan, Sharif said Pakistan sought a peaceful and stable country, but added: "But let there be no ambiguity; so long as terrorists continue to use Afghan territory to shed the blood of innocent Pakistanis and other nations, lasting peace will remain beyond our reach."

SCO Chairmanship and Regional Plans

Pakistan is set to assume the chairmanship of the SCO's Council of Heads of State for 2026–27, with next year's summit to be hosted in Islamabad. Sharif said, "As Pakistan assumes the chairmanship of the SCO, we are proposing an excellent plan that will prioritise key sectors, including IT and AI, energy development, poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports."

He proposed an SCO framework for sovereign AI infrastructure and governance to "promote responsible and inclusive AI development and to also ensure that no member state is left behind." Pakistan's chairmanship would be pursued under the theme "Turning vision into action, connectivity, innovation and shared prosperity."

Sharif also said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor continued to "serve as a gateway, linking the regional economies to the Arabian Sea." He called for establishing an SCO Development Bank as a "critical step."

Regional Crises and Diplomacy

Sharif said 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 referred to the closure of critical energy supply routes, mentioning the Strait of Hormuz, and said Pakistan and the international community had "borne a heavy economic cost" as a result.

He said Pakistan's "sustained diplomatic efforts culminated in the signing of the landmark Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding" in June between the US and Iran. "We firmly believe that the Islamabad MoU offers the most viable and enduring pathway to lasting peace in the region," he said.

On the trilateral defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, named the "Makkah Defence Alliance," Sharif said the pact was "fundamentally defensive in nature and is neither directed against any state nor intended to create any confrontation or division whatsoever."

He also called on the international community to honour its commitment to "help the Palestinian people, alongside all other oppressed nations, secure their fundamental right to self-determination."

Bilateral Meetings

A video clip shared by the Prime Minister's Office showed Sharif speaking to Chinese President Xi Jinping. He was also seen sitting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and held informal meetings with the presidents of Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Belarus.

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and stressed that "sincere implementation" of the Islamabad MoU was the only way forward amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. He also met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, reaffirming the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China, as reported by Dawn.

The SCO member states are China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus.