Pakistan ready to host SCO Summit amid tight security

Islamabad: Pakistan is all set to host Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) 23rd Heads of Government Summit on October 15 and 16 in the federal capital.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Jinnah Convention Center on Saturday to review preparations for the SCO Summit while CDA chairman and officials of Foreign Office briefed him on arrangements.

According to Foreign Office spokesperson, PM Shehbaz will preside over the SCO Council of the Heads of Government meeting in his capacity as the current Chair.

The SCO member states will be represented by the prime ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The First Vice President of Iran and External Affairs Minister of India will arrive in Pakistan to attend the SCO Summit. The prime minister of Mongolia will attend the summit as an observer, and deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and foreign minister of Turkmenistan as a special guest.

Prime Minister Shehbaz will also hold bilateral meetings with visiting heads of delegations on the side-lines of the summit.

The SCO summit will discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the organisation.

All visiting member nations are expected to send government heads apart from Pakistan's arch-rival India, who will dispatch its foreign minister in a rare visit to its neighbour.

The SCO is sometimes touted as an alternative to the Western-dominated NATO military alliance.

As China's claim over Taiwan and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have seen them clash with the US and Europe, analysts say the SCO is one forum where they are trying to curry regional influence.

While the SCO has a mandate to discuss security, the Islamabad summit is due to focus on trade, humanitarian and cultural issues.