The federal government has requested the Pakistan Army to provide security for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, set to take place in Islamabad on 15-16 October. The deployment has been sanctioned under Article 245 of the Constitution, as per a notification issued by the Interior Ministry on Friday.
The notification has confirmed that the army will be responsible for securing key government buildings and the Red Zone in Islamabad. While the Rangers are already stationed in the capital, the military will take over security duties from 5 to 17 October to ensure enhanced protection during the summit.
Preparations for the event, which will be attended by the heads of state and delegations from the eight member countries of the SCO, have been finalized by the federal government.
The SCO, established in 2001, aims to foster political, economic, and security cooperation in the region. Its current members comprise China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. In 2023, Iran became a full member of the SCO, while several other countries participate as observers or partners in collaboration with the regional bloc.
Notably, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will also be attending the summit, marking the first high-level visit from India to Pakistan since 2015. The last visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan was in December 2015 when then-minister Sushma Swaraj attended the “Heart of Asia” conference on Afghanistan in Islamabad.
This visit is viewed as an opportunity to alleviate tensions between the two neighbors, which have been strained in recent years.
