Faisal Sheikh

ISLAMABAD, The two-day 23rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is starting today with the delegates from members and other invited states already arriving in the federal capital.

To be held at the Jinnah Convention Center, the annual meeting of the SCO CHG – the second highest forum within the SCO – will be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the current chair of the Council. Pakistan had assumed the rotating chair of the SCO CHG for 2023-24 at the previous meeting held in Bishkek on October 26, 2023.

The leaders from the SCO member states attending the summit include China’s Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Tajik Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Kyrgyzstan’s Chairman of Ministers’ Cabinet Zhaparov Akylbek, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Besides, Mongolia is participating in the summit as an Observer State being represented by Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai and Turkmenistan as Special Guest represented by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Rashid Meredov.

Among other dignitaries attending the moot include SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming, Director of Executive Committee SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) Ruslan Mirzayev, Chairman of the Board of SCO Business Council Atif Ikram Shaikh and Chairman of the Council of SCO Interbank Union Marat Yelibayev.

On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will host the welcome dinner for the dignitaries participating in the moot.

On Wednesday the regional leaders would gather at the Jinnah Convention Centre to discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the Organization. The leaders will also adopt important organizational decisions to further enhance cooperation among SCO member States and approve the budget of the Organization.

Before the formal session begins, Prime Minister Shehbaz will welcome the leaders at the venue, followed by a group photo.

The proceedings of the moot will start with Prime Minister Shehbaz’s opening remarks before the statements by the participating leaders.

The prime minister will deliver his concluding remarks after the signing of different documents by the participating leaders. Afterward, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming will deliver media statements to discuss the highlights and outcomes of the two-day summit.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz will also host an official luncheon for the participating leaders.

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, in a statement, had said that the hosting of CHG by Pakistan reflected the abiding commitment of Pakistan to the purposes and principles of the SCO Charter and the values of the Shanghai Spirit.

Since becoming an SCO member in 2017, Pakistan has worked consistently and constructively to strengthen good neighbourly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation among SCO member states, she added.