Pakistan, Oct. 20 -- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has urged Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) members to expand national currency use and strengthen regional financial cooperation. Speaking in Dushanbe on Tuesday, he called for measures to protect member economies from international financial shocks. He also proposed establishing new financial institutions to support development across the region. His remarks came during the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Tajikistan.

Dar stressed the need to increase the use of national currencies for financial settlements between member countries. He also called for creating the SCO Development Bank and dedicated development and investment funds. According to Dar, these mechanism...