More delegations are expected to arrive today for Pakistan’s most high-profile event in years, the SCO summit.
On Tuesday, the prime ministers of Belarus and Kyrgyzstan arrived in Islamabad to partake in the two-day meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). This marks one of the most significant events hosted by Pakistan in recent years.
Kyrgyzstan’s Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, AkylbekJaparov, was time-honored by Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister, Musadik Malik, at Nur Khan Airbase. Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko was welcomed at Islamabad International Airport by Law Minister Azam NazirTarar.
In addition to these arrivals, Prime Minister KohirRasulzoda of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Rashid Meredov, have also reached Islamabad, according to Radio Pakistan. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is already in the country, and more heads of government, including Russian Premier Mikhail Mishustin, are expected to join in person. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref are also slated to participate in the summit.
The SCO, a Eurasian political and security organization founded by Russia and China in 2001, is holding one of its most high-profile meetings in Islamabad. The main event will take place on Wednesday, but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to host a welcome dinner for the visiting dignitaries on Tuesday. In addition, the Pakistani Foreign Office proclaimed that PM Shehbaz will hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.
The SCO conference will focus on strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade and economic development. Observers propose that the bloc is positioning itself as a counterbalance to Western influence in the region.
In preparation for the event, the Pakistani government has confirmed a three-day public holiday in Islamabad, closing schools and businesses. Security measures have been heightened, with large numbers of police and paramilitary forces deployed. The Red Zone, where most SCO meetings will take place, is under the protection of the Pakistani army, which comprises the parliamentary area and the diplomatic enclave.
Additionally, the Ministry of Interior has inculcated Islamabad’s district administration to enforce stringent security measures, ensuring that no protests or disturbances occur during the summit. The Islamabad High Court has also ordered that the Ministry of Interior prevent any unlawful protests to maintain peace during the event.
The Ministry’s letter stresses the need for robust security and urges the administration to inform the public about these precautions to ensure the summit proceeds smoothly.
Source: (brecorder.com)