ISLAMABAD: Pakistani government on Friday notified the deployment of Pakistan Army personnel in Islamabad to maintain law and order and ensure security during the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The SCO, a coalition of 10 nations formed by China and Russia, will take place in Pakistan’s capital on October 15 and 16.
According to the notification, a “requisite strength” of the Pakistan Army will be deployed from October 5 to 17 to assist civil authorities in ensuring security for the event and the accompanying visits of VVIP delegations. The Islamabad administration will determine the specific deployment areas and may adjust troop numbers as necessary, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Islamabad is preparing to host the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting, which will feature significant foreign dignitaries, including Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. In light of this, the federal government has approved a comprehensive security plan for the summit.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi earlier today said that additional personnel from the Pakistan Army, Rangers, Frontier Corps (FC), and Punjab police will be assigned to security duties during the SCO meetings.
Earlier this year, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch stated that the summit would include a ministerial meeting and multiple senior officials’ discussions to enhance cooperation in finance, economics, socio-cultural affairs, and humanitarian efforts among member states.
The SCO, which includes India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, serves as a vital multilateral platform focused on regional security and collaboration with Central Asian countries.
Earlier today, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced that Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will visit Pakistan later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, marking a rare trip by a senior official from New Delhi. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will be the first Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan in nearly a decade.