SCO Summit: Jaishankar to arrive in Pakistan today—what's on agenda
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave. This is a significant development as it will be the first high-level visit by an Indian Foreign Minister to Pakistan in almost nine years, in the backdrop of tensions between the two nations. However, both sides have ruled out any possibility of bilateral talks between Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar at this summit.
Why does this story matter?
Pakistan is hosting the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting on October 15 and 16. The last Indian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj in December 2015. Notably, the 23rd CHG meeting will review the organization's performance and look into continued cooperation in commerce, economy, environment, and sociocultural links.
SCO summit to evaluate organization's performance
Leaders at the summit will also approve the organization's budget and take important decisions to strengthen cooperation among SCO member states. Among the attendees are Prime Minister Li Qiang of China, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin of Russia, Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko of Belarus, etc. Special guests include Foreign Ministers and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Turkmenistan, with Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, Prime Minister of Mongolia attending as an observer state.
Pakistan implements security measures for SCO summit
Ahead of the summit, Pakistani authorities have taken sweeping measures to quell the continuing political unrest and militant violence. Troops have been deployed across Islamabad, with hundreds of supporters of jailed opposition leader Imran Khan arrested. New laws restricting protests have also been implemented. The Pakistani government has also declared a public holiday in Islamabad for three days from Monday, with schools and businesses shut and large contingents of police and paramilitary forces patrolling the city.
Pakistan's interior ministry secures Red Zone
Pakistan's interior ministry said army troops are tasked with securing the Red Zone, which includes the parliament, diplomatic enclave, and main summit venues. The Summit will start with the arrival of delegations on Tuesday, followed by a welcome dinner hosted by the Pakistani Prime Minister. On Wednesday, the official proceedings will include remarks by Pakistan's Prime Minister, document signings and concluding statements.
