The first meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Council of National Coordinators under Pakistan's 2026–27 chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State began in Islamabad on September 28, 2026. The three-day session, running through September 30, brings together national coordinators from SCO member states and representatives of the SCO Secretariat, marking an important initial engagement in Pakistan's chairmanship as it builds toward the Council of Heads of State meeting scheduled to be hosted in Islamabad in August 2027.
Pakistan's National Coordinator for the SCO is chairing the meeting, according to a curtain-raiser statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry said the coordinators would discuss a wide range of issues related to SCO cooperation and coordination, including the programme of activities under Pakistan's chairmanship, preparations for upcoming SCO meetings and events, and other matters on the organisation's agenda.
What the Council of National Coordinators actually does
The Council of National Coordinators coordinates and directs the SCO's day-to-day activities and facilitates interaction among the relevant ministries and agencies of member states. It also carries out necessary preparations for meetings of the Council of Heads of State, the Council of Heads of Government and the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
This is the kind of session that rarely makes headlines on its own but plays an important role in preparing the organisation's work. India, for instance, chaired a Council of National Coordinators meeting in Varanasi in January 2023 where participants discussed more than 30 issues, including preparations for meetings of the Council of Heads of State and Council of Foreign Ministers, the year's calendar of events and other aspects of SCO activities. Pakistan's Islamabad session from September 28 to 30 serves a similar coordinating role during its current chairmanship.
What Pakistan says it will prioritise
Pakistan assumed the SCO Council of Heads of State chairmanship for 2026–27 at the organisation's summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on September 1, 2026. Addressing the summit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif proposed an action plan prioritising sectors including information technology and artificial intelligence, energy, development and poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports.
Sharif also proposed establishing an SCO Sovereign AI Infrastructure and Governance Framework to promote responsible and inclusive AI development while addressing the digital sovereignty of member states. The proposal forms part of Pakistan's broader agenda for its chairmanship and should not be confused with an already adopted SCO framework. Pakistan also serves as the permanent chair of the SCO Special Working Group on Poverty Alleviation.
The Foreign Office has framed Pakistan's chairmanship under the theme "Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity." It says the chairmanship will focus on promoting greater connectivity, fostering innovation, enhancing economic cooperation and strengthening people-to-people contacts, with the aim of translating shared priorities among member states into practical initiatives.
Getting Islamabad ready for August 2027
Preparations for the August 2027 Council of Heads of State meeting are already under way in Islamabad. The Capital Development Authority has invited bids for the upgradation and modernisation of the Jinnah Convention Centre, along with construction of a new block ahead of the SCO gathering.
The authority has also been working to ensure sufficient international-standard accommodation in the capital. In August 2026, CDA officials said around 4,000 top-class hotel rooms were needed for the SCO gathering and other major international events planned in Islamabad. Although hotels collectively had more than 4,000 rooms available, officials said around 1,000 did not meet the required international standards, prompting efforts to expand and upgrade the city's accommodation capacity.
This will not be Pakistan's first experience hosting a major SCO gathering. The country hosted the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad in October 2024. The Council of Heads of Government is the organisation's second-highest forum, below the Council of Heads of State, and focuses primarily on cooperation in socio-economic, trade and financial sectors.
SCO mechanisms have also continued to bring together member states despite strained bilateral relationships. India participated in the 12th meeting of the Heads of Border Services of the competent authorities of SCO member states, hosted in Islamabad on July 17, 2026, showing that India continued to participate in SCO mechanisms hosted by Pakistan despite strained bilateral relations.
What happens next
As of publication, the Foreign Office had not announced the outcomes of the Islamabad meeting, with discussions scheduled to continue through September 30. The talks on Pakistan's programme of activities, upcoming SCO meetings and other organisational matters are expected to contribute to preparations for high-level engagements during the chairmanship, including the Council of Heads of State meeting Pakistan is scheduled to host in Islamabad in August 2027.
