Top regional powers convene as Pakistan all set to host SCO summit

**ISLAMABAD:** Pakistan is set to host the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the federal capital today and tomorrow (Tuesday and Wednesday).  

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will chair the high-level gathering, with Pakistan making extensive arrangements to ensure the event runs smoothly.  

The meeting will be attended by prime ministers and senior officials from SCO member states, including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran’s First Vice President.  

China's Premier Li Qiang and India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, will also represent their respective countries.  

Mongolia, an observer state, will be represented by its prime minister, while Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister will attend as special guests.  

The CHG meeting will focus on strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, economy, environment, and cultural ties, while also reviewing the organisation’s overall performance.  

Prime Minister Shehbaz will assume the rotating chair of the SCO Council of Heads of Government for the next year, succeeding India, which has held the position for the past 17 months.  

On the sidelines of the summit, the prime minister will engage in bilateral meetings with various visiting delegations.  

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### **Indian MEA’s Visit to Islamabad**  
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the summit, marking the first visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to Pakistan in nearly a decade. Jaishankar is expected to stay in Islamabad for about 24 hours, departing on Wednesday evening.  

While he will attend the welcome dinner hosted by PM Shehbaz at the Prime Minister’s House, both India and Pakistan have ruled out the possibility of a formal bilateral meeting. However, Jaishankar is likely to interact with PM Shehbaz and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who is also his counterpart, during the event.  

Jaishankar has clarified that his visit is not intended for bilateral discussions but to fulfil India’s responsibilities as an active SCO member. The SCO includes Pakistan, India, China, Russia, Iran, and four Central Asian countries.  

The last visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister was in December 2015, when Sushma Swaraj attended a regional conference. Indian Prime Ministers have not attended any SCO Council of Heads of Government meetings since India became a member in 2017, making Jaishankar’s participation in this year’s summit expected.  

India’s High Commission in Islamabad has confirmed there are no scheduled media engagements for Jaishankar during his stay.