Pakistan is set to assume the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Heads of State (CHS) in September, while next year’s CHS summit will also be hosted by Pakistan. Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the SCO, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar acknowledged that the group has played an important role in “promoting regional peace , security, stability, economic cooperation, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges among its member states”, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. Dar said that Pakistan’s involvement in the regional bloc has advanced from observer to a proactive full member since 2017, reflecting the country’s “unwavering commitment to multilateralism and confidence in the potential of our region”.