Islamabad set to host SCO Summit amid strict security

125
Pakistan hosting 23rd meeting of SCO CHG today

Pakistan is all set to host the two-day SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting with major foreign leaders on October 15 and 16.

The Foreign Office spokesperson said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the CHG meeting as the current chair.

The SCO will be attended by the prime ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the first vice president of Iran and external affairs minister of India.

Apart from them, the premier of Mongolia, as an observer state, and Turkmenistan’s deputy chairman of the cabinet and foreign minister, as a special guest, will also participate in the meeting.

The SCO summit will discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, environment and socio-cultural linkages reviewing the performance of the organisation.

With the view to maintain the law and order situation during the SCO summit, Section 144 has been imposed in the twin cities and Karachi till October 17.

The Punjab government, exercising powers vested under Section 144, has banned all kinds of political assemblies, gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, demonstrations, pillion riding, aerial firing, pigeon flying, use of drones and use of laser lights from October 10 to 17 in Rawalpindi.

The provincial authorities, separately, also imposed ban on public gatherings under Section 144 in five districts – Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, and Kot Addu – for three days over security concerns.

The Metro Bus Service will remain shut in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for four days – Oct 14-17.