ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday left for Tajikistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Foreign Ministers (SCO-CFM) meeting.

During his three-day visit to Dushanbe, the foreign minister will address the SCO ministerial council.

The CFM is the highest forum of the SCO after Council of Heads of State (CHS) and the Council of Heads of Government (CHG). It deliberates on important regional and international issues and considers documents for approval and adoption by the CHS.

Foreign Minister Qureshi will also attend the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group meeting on July 14 and reiterate Pakistan’s stance on the Afghan peace process, the changing regional situation and promotion of regional cooperation, according to a press release.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the foreign minister is scheduled to meet his counterparts from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Russia and China.

Besides issues of mutual interests, bilateral and regional ties would be discussed during these meetings.

During his stay, the foreign minister will also meet President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

It is expected that the foreign minister’s visit would be helpful in enhancing the Afghan peace process, focusing on a joint approach over the regional security situation and promoting diverse cooperation among the SCO member states.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2021