Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has arrived in Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, marking the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly a decade.
The federal capital of Islamabad is set to host the 23rd meeting of the SCO's Council of Heads of Government (CHG), with final preparations underway to ensure the smooth running of the event. Stringent security measures and elaborate arrangements have been put in place as foreign dignitaries from SCO member states continue to arrive.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the high-level meeting, which includes participation from prime ministers and senior officials from countries such as Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran. The event holds special significance, as Pakistan assumes the chair of the SCO CHG for the next year, following India’s 17-month tenure.
Islamabad has been transformed to mark the occasion, with streets adorned with colorful lights, floral arrangements, and flags representing SCO member states. The dignitaries were welcomed with red-carpet receptions, underscoring the cordial ties between participating nations.
Children in traditional attire presented bouquets to the arriving officials as part of the welcoming ceremony. Among those received was Indian Minister Jaishankar, who arrived later in the day, following other dignitaries.
Earlier, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui received Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Rashid Meredov, at Islamabad International Airport. Tajik Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda and Kyrgyz Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov were welcomed by Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Federal Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, respectively. Meanwhile, Belarusian Premier Roman Golovchenko was greeted by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar.
On Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended a special welcome to Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who arrived a day early for the summit, signaling the strong ties between Pakistan and China ahead of the three-day event.