KARACHI: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will travel to Tianjin, China, on Monday for the Shanghai CooperationOrganisation`s (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers` meeting, Dawn.

com reported.

The SCO is a 10-nation Eurasian security and political grouping whose members include China, Russia, Pakistan, India, and Iran. Their foreign ministers` meeting is held as a precursor to the annual summit of its leaders set for the autumn.

The report quoted Radio Pakistan as stating that the top diplomats from Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will also attend the event. `The upcoming Council of Heads of State will take place on August 31 and September 1 in Tianjin, China,` the state media outlet reported.

`At the invitation of the Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar will lead the Pakistan delegation to the meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers,` the Foreign Office (FO) said.

The CFM is the thirdhighest forum in the SCO format. It focuses on the issues of international relations, as well as the foreign and security policies of the organisation, the FO said.

The press release addedthat the forum approves the documents, including declarations and statements that are to be presented for the consideration of the Council of Heads of State (CHS), as well as the decisions to be adopted by the CHS.

`The upcoming CHS will take place from August 31 to September 1 in Tianjin, China,` the FO said.

The FO also reported that Dar spoke with Uzbekistan`s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov on Sunday and discussed progress on the Framework Agreement on UzbekistanAfghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project.

`Both leaders also agreed to meet again at the sidelines of the upcoming SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Tianjin, China,` the FO added.

Trilateral conference Separately, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran on an official visit to participate in a high-level trilateral conference, according to a PTV World report.

The conference, initiated at Pakistan`s request, brings together the interior ministers of Pakistan, Iran, and Iraq to address key challenges surrounding the movement of pilgrims and other mutual concerns.

The dialogue, set to take place on Monday, aims to develop coordinated strategies for improving border security and facilitating safer, smoother pilgrimages across the region.

As part of his visit, the interior minister is also expected to hold a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss bilateral and regional matters of mutual interest.