ISLAMABAD, FEB 10 /DNA/ – Pakistan hosted the Informal Retreat of D-8 Commissioners on 5–6 February 2026 in Lahore. The session was organised primarily to discuss the strengthening of the D-8 Secretariat and to approve its financial and administrative matters ahead of the commencement of the 51st Session of the D-8 Commission and the 12th D-8 Summit, scheduled to be held in April this year in Jakarta. D-8 Commissioners from all member states, including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Türkiye and Pakistan, attended the meeting. The Secretary-General of D-8, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, also participated in the Retreat.

The Retreat served as a platform for open dialogue and brainstorming among the Member States and the Secretariat, with a focus on practical strategies to enhance cooperation, improve institutional effectiveness, and accelerate the implementation of D-8 priority areas and ongoing initiatives.

During the two-day informal visit, the D-8 delegates visited several historical, cultural and nationally significant sites in Lahore. These included the Wagah Border, the historic Shalimar Gardens, Lahore Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the Badshahi Mosque. The delegates also attended the vibrant and cultural Basant festival held at the historic Poonch House, Lahore. Senior Minister of Punjab, Ms Maryam Aurangzeb, and Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Syed Ashaq Hussain Kirmani, attended the event and warmly welcomed the foreign dignitaries.

The dignitaries expressed satisfaction with the successful convening of the Informal Retreat and thanked the Government of Pakistan for its hospitality and excellent arrangements. They reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen cultural ties, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges among D-8 member states.