PM Shehbaz attends opening ceremony of World Nomad Games in Bishkek
· Geo News- DPM Dar, other ministers to accompany PM during visit: FO.
- Premier to discuss bilateral ties with Kyrgyz president: FO.
- PM to hold talks with participating nations of SCO moot: FO.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is on a three-day official visit to Kyrgyzstan to participate in the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) Meeting, attended the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games in Bishkek on Monday.
Upon his arrival at the ceremony, the prime minister was received by the Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Japarov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko also attended the ceremony.
A contingent of Pakistani athletes is also participating in the Nomad Games. Upon the arrival of the Pakistani contingent, PM Shehbaz stood up to applaud and pay tribute to them. The spectators present in the stadium also cheered for them.
The World Nomad Games are a cultural and sporting festival centred on traditional nomadic sports, particularly those of the Turkic peoples of Central Asia. Athletes from 104 countries have registered, organisers said, for the sixth edition of the World Nomad Games, which were founded in 2014.
Events include horseback archery, wrestling and boardgames traditional to nomadic Central Asian cultures. The ceremony featured musical performances and Olympic-style parades by national teams.
Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz landed in Bishkek for a three-day official visit at the invitation of the Kyrgyz president.
Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev welcomed the prime minister upon his arrival at the Manas International Airport in Bishkek, it added.
During the visit from August 31 to September 2, PM Shehbaz will address the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit and present Pakistan's stance on various regional and global issues, according to a statement issued by the PM Office.
PM Shehbaz is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Communication Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, Information Minister Ataullah Tarar, and senior officials during the visit.
In an earlier statement, the Foreign Office said that the prime minister will participate in the SCO Plus Summit and assume Pakistan's chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-2027.
On the sidelines of the SCO engagements, PM Shehbaz will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of participating countries
On September 2, the premier will hold bilateral discussions with President Zhaparov on the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations, according to the FO.
The two sides will comprehensively review Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations and discuss ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, energy, regional connectivity, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest and cooperation at regional and multilateral fora.
The FO said that Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan enjoy warm and fraternal relations, rooted in shared history, faith, and cultural affinity, as well as common aspirations for peace, connectivity, and prosperity in Central and South Asia.
PM Shehbaz's forthcoming visit will provide an important opportunity to consolidate the momentum generated by recent high-level exchanges, translate political goodwill into enhanced practical cooperation, and further strengthen the enduring partnership between the two nations.
'Pakistan, Uzbekistan discuss ways to strengthen cooperation'
Meanwhile, PM Shebaz met Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting and discussed further strengthening cooperation in industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, mining, digital technologies, education, culture, defence and security.
Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Commerce, Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister for Communications and Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting were also present.
Recalling President Mirziyoyev’s State Visit to Pakistan in February 2026, the premier noted that the visit and the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council had imparted fresh momentum to the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership.
He stressed the importance of timely implementation of decisions taken at the leadership level, particularly in trade, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation.
He reiterated the shared objective of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2029 and called for effective implementation of the expanded Preferential Trade Agreement, greater business-to-business engagement and promotion of mutually beneficial joint ventures.
Highlighting regional connectivity as a shared strategic priority, the prime minister underscored the transformative potential of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway for linking Central and South Asia and facilitating Uzbekistan’s access to Pakistan’s seaports.
PM Shehbaz emphasised early progress on the Joint Feasibility Study and greater utilization of existing multimodal transport corridors. He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to facilitate Uzbek trade through its ports and transport infrastructure.
The prime minister appreciated Uzbekistan’s support for Pakistan’s forthcoming Chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State and expressed the desire to work closely with Uzbekistan on regional security, connectivity, trade and sustainable development. He also emphasised continued cooperation within ECO and other multilateral forums.