The Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) 12th Meeting of the Heads of Border Services of member states could greatly help in ensuring the trans-regional border security and management.
Introduction
Pakistan hosted the SCO’s 12th Meeting of the Heads of Border Services, and delegations from all the member states attended. The Executive Committee of the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) also attended the event. It is a welcome development that border security officials from India were also present, as the diplomatic relations between Pakistan and India are at the lowest following last year’s military skirmishes between the two rivals. It reveals that besides mutual hostility, the SCO continues to serve as a credible platform and interlocutor to bring regional peace and stability. Besides the ongoing United States-Iran military strikes against each other, Iran’s Border Guard Commander Brigadier General Ali-Akbar Javidan, along with his delegation, attended the meeting.
The Agenda of the Meeting
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the member states discussed and approved the Joint Border Operation “Solidarity-2025.” Also, the members approved the framework of the Joint Border Operation “Solidarity-2026.” A work plan of the group of experts of the border services of the competent authorities was discussed and approved. The Republic of Tajikistan proposed to host the Joint Border Operation “Solidarity-2027” in 2027 that was supported. And, the proposals for the next meeting of the Heads of Border Services of the Competent Authorities were also discussed.
This agenda will help the SCO members to plan for more in-depth discussions and plans, which could support in strengthening the border security and management.
Why is the SCO Heads of Border Services Meeting important?
Today, we live in a globalised world where connectivity continues to dominate, and the traditional national borders have somehow blurred their relevance. This blurring of national borders does not mean that the nation-states have tacitly agreed to form supra-national entities; yet, they have accepted the concept of a global village. Nonetheless, the nation-states are vigilantly managing their national borders, with the clear aim of preventing criminal, extremist, and terrorist elements from exploiting the international connectivity and preserving national integrity and sovereignty. The SCO Heads of Border Services Meeting is the direct outcome of the SCO members’ firm and steadfast determination to ensure such immaculate endeavours.
It is worth mentioning here that the Islamic State – Khorasan Province* (ISKP) waged a horrific terrorist attack at Moscow, Russia, on March 22, 2024, that resulted in the killings of 150 innocent people, including women and children. The attack is also known as the Crocus City Hall attack. Pakistan and Russia closely cooperated with each other to apprehend the perpetrators of the heinous terror attack. Pakistan handed over the culprits behind the attack to Russian authorities in March 2025. This is a remarkable example of cooperation between Russia and Pakistan, which is being strengthened due to SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). We can well imagine that the planning behind the attack was carried out in Afghanistan, the attackers were from Tajikistan, and the funding could have come from anywhere in the world that made the attack possible. In March 2026, the Russian court sentenced 15 men to prison including the four Tajik citizens. This is the perfect example of terrorists exploiting the regional connectivity and committing trans-regional crimes and terrorism.
Conclusions
There is a little doubt that the SCO retains the potential of solving trans-regional issues, and it has become a credible platform to fight the three evils, i.e., terrorism, extremism, and separatism. The recent SCO 12th Meeting of the Heads of the Border Services has demonstrated that the SCO members are fully committed to strengthening border security and preventing the criminal, extremist, and terrorist elements from exploiting the international connectivity, and preserving national integrity and sovereignty. Such elements could disrupt regional peace and security, and also pose a great danger to the international community. Such humble and genuine endeavours of the SCO members must be appreciated.
The author would also like to argue that the role of SCO RATS could be enhanced momentously to fight the smuggling and illegal transportation of goods in the porous border regions of the member countries. Such illegal trade could help in terror financing and other forms of extremism.
There is encouraging news that Russia-Pakistan have been conducting the biennial joint military and counter-terrorism exercises known as Druzhba since 2016, and in September 2026, the Druzhba VIII took place between the two countries in Pakistan. These exercises enhance jointness and act as confidence building measures between the two countries to curb terrorism and extremism.
*a terrorist organization banned in Russia
Muhammad Ali Baig is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI), Pakistan. He is a Ph.D. candidate and a distinguished graduate of National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad, Pakistan
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