Next week, Islamabad will host the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The meeting is significant as it marks the first time Pakistan is hosting a gathering of the SCO, which is scheduled to take place from October 15 to 16. The CHG serves as the second highest decision-making body of the SCO.
The event will be attended by seven prime ministers, one vice-president, and a minister of external affairs. These dignitaries include the Prime Minister of China, the Prime Minister of Russia, as well as leaders from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Additionally, the First Vice-President of Iran and the External Affairs Minister of India will also be present at the meeting.
Notably, Afghanistan will not be attending the CHG due to the SCO Secretariat’s failure to extend an invitation to Kabul. As the current Chair of CHG, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the meeting.
The statement from the Foreign Office emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening relations and cooperation among SCO member states since becoming a member in 2017. The meeting aims to address important organizational decisions, enhance cooperation among member states, and approve the organization’s budget.
In preparation for the event, the federal government has implemented heightened security measures, deploying over 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel to ensure the safety of the approximately 900 delegates arriving in Islamabad. The Prime Minister is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with visiting Heads of Delegations on the sidelines of the meeting.
The CHG meeting will address ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, and socio-cultural linkages, as well as review the performance of the organization. However, it remains unclear whether bilateral meetings will include the Indian External Minister Dr S Jaishankar, as the Foreign Office has not confirmed such plans.
