Islamabad [Pakistan], October 15 : The 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) is all set to kick off on Wednesday in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, with top-notch security measures in place.
With the arrival of foreign top officials, the security agencies are determined to prevent any disruptions and have amped up security in Islamabad, according to a report by Dawn.
To ensure the safety and security of the 23rd SCO summit in Islamabad, the Pakistan Army has been deployed to safeguard the event, key government buildings, and the Red Zone area.
Additionally, rangers have been stationed throughout the capital. As a precautionary measure, numerous businesses have been temporarily shut down to minimise security risks in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Key routes have also been closed.
Notably, the government has deployed over 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel for the security of about 900 delegates who are set to arrive for the event. The delegates will stay at different places in the capital located inside the 'Red Zone' or in the vicinity, as 14 locations in the capital have been arranged for their accommodation, Dawn reported.
A motorcade of 124 vehicles has been arranged to ensure transportation for guests. This fleet will be divided into two groups: 84 vehicles will escort the heads of states, while 40 vehicles will cater to other delegates.
With all delegations set to arrive today, a packed schedule awaits on Wednesday.
According to the programme, the participants will arrive on Wednesday morning at the Jinnah Convention Centre, where they will be received by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. After group photos, PM Shehbaz will give his opening remarks, which are set to be followed by statements from other member states. A notable agenda of the day is "documents signing" before the PM offers the concluding remarks, Dawn reported.
On Wednesday afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming will address the media. Following their press briefing, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will host "official luncheons" for the guests.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the meeting would focus on the trade and economic agenda of the organisation.
"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 stated.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the 23rd Meeting of the SCO. He is set to arrive in Islamabad on Tuesday.
"India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework," the release said.
The EAM had earlier said that he will not be going to Islamabad to discuss "India-Pakistan relations," but his visit is all about the multilateral event SCO Summit 2024. Jaishankar had also emphasised that he is travelling to Pakistan only to be a "good member of the SCO."
The Prime Minister of China Li Qiang, Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Zhaparov, Prime Minister of Tajikistan Akylbek Zhaparov, and Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, as well as the first Vice President of Iran Mohammad Mokhber be others representing the SCO member states during the summit, ARY News had reported.
The summit will also feature participation from Foreign Ministers and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Turkmenistan as special guests, as well as the Prime Minister of Mongolia Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai as an observer state.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation established on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai, China.
Key goals of the SCO include strengthening mutual trust between the Member States, encouraging cooperation in areas like trade, economy, science and technology, and jointly ensuring and maintaining peace, security and stability in the region.
Member countries of SCO include countries such as India, Iran, China, Pakistan and Russia. It has various other significant dialogue partners such as Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, Maldives, Myanmar, UAE and Sri Lanka.