Pakistan to host SCO heads of government summit with focus on economic cooperation

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Pakistan is set to host the 23rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Oct. 15-16, bringing together top officials from key regional powers to discuss economic and cultural cooperation.

As the current chair of the council, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the summit in Islamabad, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“SCO member states will be represented by the Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as the First Vice President of Iran and the External Affairs Minister of India,” the statement added.

The summit will also include the prime minister of Mongolia, an observer state, and Turkmenistan’s deputy chairman of the cabinet of ministers and foreign minister, who will attend as special guests.

In addition to chairing the summit, Prime Minister Sharif is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with visiting heads of delegation to discuss regional issues and strengthen ties.

The CHG meeting will cover a range of issues, including economic and trade cooperation, environmental initiatives, and socio-cultural links among member states. Leaders are expected to adopt key decisions aimed at enhancing collaboration within the organization and approving the SCO’s budget for the coming year, according to the ministry.

To ensure security for the summit, Pakistan has arranged extensive safety measures, with approximately 10,000 security personnel deployed across Islamabad.