Islamabad: Pakistan is set to host the twenty-third meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on the 15th and 16th of this month, with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chairing the high-profile event.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Prime Minister will preside over the meeting in his capacity as the current Chair of the SCO Council of Heads of Government. The meeting will see attendance from the prime ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, along with the First Vice President of Iran and the External Affairs Minister of India.

Adding to the international presence, the Prime Minister of Mongolia, an observer state, and the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, a special guest, will also participate. On the sidelines of the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif plans to conduct significant bilateral discussions with visiting delegation heads.

The agenda for the SCO meeting includes deliberations on ongoing cooperation across various sectors such as economy, trade, environment, and socio-cultural linkages. Additionally, the leaders are expected to review the organization’s performance, adopt crucial organizational decisions to boost cooperation among member states, and approve the organization’s budget.

The Foreign Office has confirmed that all preparations have been finalized to ensure the meeting proceeds in a dignified manner.