Pakistan Showcases Art and Folk Music to SCO Coordinators

Islamabad (GNP): Coordinators from the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) visited the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in Islamabad on Tuesday. The visit was a key preparatory engagement ahead of Pakistan’s chairmanship of the organisation in 2027.

The programme placed culture at the centre of regional diplomacy. It showcased the country’s artistic heritage, cultural diversity and people-to-people links ahead of a series of SCO events.

The delegation was received by the Secretary of the National Heritage and Culture Division, Asad Rehman Gilani, who briefed the visitors on Pakistan’s cultural traditions. He also spoke about the role of the arts in building mutual understanding among SCO member states.

The coordinators then toured PNCA’s main galleries, including the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah Photographic Exhibition and the Sadequain Gallery, which celebrates the legacy of one of Pakistan’s greatest painters. They also watched live performances by folk artists, including a traditional musical presentation and a folk dance in cultural attire, reflecting the range of the country’s performing arts.

PNCA’s role in such exchanges was explained by its Director General, Muhammad Ayoub Jamali. He briefed the delegation on the council’s mandate to preserve and promote Pakistan’s visual and performing arts, and on its initiatives for cultural exchange at national and international levels.

Building on that, the National Heritage and Culture Division offered PNCA’s premises as a venue where SCO member states could set up cultural stalls and exhibitions during future engagements. The offer shows how seriously Islamabad views cultural diplomacy as a way to present the art, traditions and heritage of member countries.

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That approach is central to Pakistan’s plans for 2027, when it will take over the SCO chairmanship and host a series of ministerial meetings, cultural programmes and high-level regional engagements. Islamabad is positioning cultural cooperation as a key pillar of that term, with the aim of deepening intercultural dialogue, strengthening regional partnerships and promoting the shared heritage of SCO member states.