
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) currently includes China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, with 16 additional countries involved as observers or dialogue partners.
Pakistan officially joined the SCO as a full member during the 2017 summit in Kazakhstan, which was attended by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Sharif has recently advocated for the restoration of relations with India.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as the current Chair of the SCO’s Council of Heads of Government (CHG), is leading the summit. From China, Premier Li Qiang is participating, marking the first visit by a Chinese premier to Pakistan in 11 years.
According to a foreign ministry program obtained by Dawn.com, the main event of the day is a welcome dinner hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz. Delegations from the member states are expected to arrive today.
Once all participants have gathered, a full schedule of events is set for tomorrow, with the summit officially commencing in the morning. Delegates will arrive at the Jinnah Convention Centre, where PM Shehbaz will greet them. Following a group photo session, PM Shehbaz will deliver his opening address, followed by statements from other member nations. A key item on the agenda is the signing of important documents, after which the prime minister will conclude the proceedings.
Later in the afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming will brief the media. PM Shehbaz will also host official luncheons for the delegates.
India’s foreign minister, S. Jaishankar, will represent India at the summit. His ministry emphasized India’s active engagement in the SCO framework. However, Jaishankar noted that he does not plan to discuss bilateral matters during his visit, which marks the first of its kind in nearly ten years.