Foreign ministers and officials from Turkmenistan, attending as special guests, will also be part of the meeting, while Mongolia’s Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai will attend as an observer…reports Asian Lite News
Islamabad hosts the 23rd Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) today. Chaired by Pakistan, the meeting will primarily focus on strengthening trade and economic cooperation among member states.
“The 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) will be held on 16 October 2024 in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Pakistan. The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focusses on the trade and economic agenda of the organisation,” the MEA said.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the 23rd Meeting of the SCO.
“India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework,” the release added.
Jaishankar previously clarified that his visit to Islamabad is solely for attending the multilateral SCO Summit, not to address bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. He reiterated that his presence is in line with India’s active engagement as a member of the SCO.
According to a statement from the Pakistan Foreign Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will chair the upcoming CHG meeting.
The summit will be chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Other attendees will include Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, and the heads of government from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran will be represented by First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber.
Foreign ministers and officials from Turkmenistan, attending as special guests, will also be part of the meeting, while Mongolia’s Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai will attend as an observer.
The SCO, established in 2001 in Shanghai, aims to enhance cooperation in areas like trade, economy, science, technology, and regional security among its member states. Member countries include India, Pakistan, China, Iran, and Russia, with other dialogue partners such as Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, and the UAE. (ANI)
Pakistan locks down capital for summit
In response to recent terror attacks, Pakistani authorities have heightened security in the capital, Islamabad, as senior officials from several nations arrive for an Asian security group meeting. A three-day holiday began on Monday in Islamabad and nearby Rawalpindi, with the government deploying troops and blocking key roads, causing disruptions for medical staff and ambulances.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met on Tuesday with leaders attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting, founded in 2001 by China and Russia to counter Western alliances. The main agenda on Wednesday includes discussions on security cooperation and economic ties among members, including Iran, India, Pakistan, and Central Asian nations.
The heightened security follows several recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern and southwestern regions bordering Afghanistan, where militants have killed dozens. While Pakistani authorities often blame the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for the violence, Afghanistan’s Taliban government denies allowing its soil to be used for attacks.
Additionally, two Chinese engineers were killed in a suicide bombing in Karachi on October 6, an attack claimed by a separatist group.
ALSO READ: Sitharaman to visit Mexico, US for key engagements
