Islamabad: Pakistan is hosting a pivotal two-day meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), starting today in Islamabad. The meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, is set to discuss economic cooperation, trade, environmental issues, and socio-cultural linkages among the SCO member states.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the SCO meeting will see participation from the Prime Ministers of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Additional attendees include Iran’s First Vice President and India’s External Affairs Minister. China’s Premier of the State Council, Li Qiang, will represent his country at the event. The Prime Minister of Mongolia, attending as an Observer State, and the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, attending as a Special Guest, are also present.

The meeting aims to review the performance of the organization and further enhance cooperation across multiple fields, emphasizing the importance of the SCO in fostering regional connectivity and multilateral partnerships. This convening is particularly significant as it marks a comprehensive engagement on crucial policy issues among the member and observer states.

Foreign dignitaries have begun arriving in Islamabad, with Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Zhaparov Akylbek and Belarus Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko already in the city, received by respective Pakistani ministers at Nur Khan airbase. Tajikistan’s Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda and Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman Rashid Meredov have also arrived, underscoring the high-level participation and Pakistan’s role as a central player in the region.