ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reviewed the preparations for the high-stakes Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting as he visited the Jinnah Convention Center in Islamabad – where the meeting will be held.
The Prime Minister was briefed by the CDA Chairman and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on the arrangements being made for holding the moot.
Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction with the arrangements, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif visiting Jinnah Convention Centre to review preparations for the upcoming SCO Head of the Governments Summit in Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/3BDz3sA0Dm
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) October 12, 2024
Earlier, PM Shehbaz on late Friday visited the capital city to review the arrangements, where he was briefed on the reception arrangements for the guests attending the summit.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and relevant authorities briefed the prime minister about the arrangements, state-run APP reported.
Separately, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited various parts of the city to inspect the beautification drive and stressed thorough cleanliness, particularly VIP routes and Red Zone, besides the removal of encroachments from roads.
Member states, Observer, Special Guest to participate
According to the FO spokesperson, “In his capacity as the current Chair of the CHG, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the upcoming CHG meeting”.
The delegations of SCO member states will be headed by Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
First Vice President of Iran and External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar — Indian foreign minister’s first visit to Pakistan in a decade — will also participate in the meeting, the statement added.
Moreover, the Prime Minister of Mongolia will join as the “Observer State” and the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan will be a “Special Guest” in the meeting.
The FO press statement further said the premier will also hold important bilateral meetings with visiting heads of delegation on the sidelines of the meeting.”
The CHG meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, and socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the Organization.
“The leaders will adopt important organizational decisions to further enhance cooperation among SCO member States and approve the budget of the Organization,” it was further added.
10,000 personnel to provide security
The federal government has deployed more than 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel for the security of about 900 delegates in Islamabad during the high-profile meeting, set to be hosted at the Jinnah Convention Centre.
According to the police, the personnel will be tasked to ensure the safety of delegations, routes, and venues to prevent any untoward incident. The delegates will stay at different places inside the highly-secured Red Zone, as 14 locations in the city have been arranged for their accommodation.
Delegates from eight member states, Mongolia (Observer State), and Turkmenistan (Special Guest) will arrive between October 13 and 15 and depart on October 17.
Police officials told the local publication that at least 6,643 officials of the Islamabad police, 1,000 Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel, 2,000 personnel of the Punjab Constabulary, and 888 Rangers personnel will perform security duties from October 13 to 17 in three tiers along with the assistance from the military.
Furthermore, 3500 police personnel will be deployed at Nur Khan Airbase, and 900 police will be deployed at Islamabad International Airport, in addition to 700 traffic police officials to ensure foolproof security.
Moreover, the administration has finalized the deployment of 124 vehicles for the motorcade. Among these 84 will accompany the heads of states, and 40 for other delegates.
The markets, schools, wedding halls, hotels, and hostels located along the primary routes will remain closed for three days along with the traffic on routes will be suspended from October 14 to 16. Thanks Ausaf .
