All set for SCO summit today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is all set to host the meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) here on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would preside over the meeting. The meeting would see the participation of prime ministers and high-ranking officials from the SCO member states, including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the First Vice President of Iran. The External Affairs Minister of India and Premier of the State Council of China, Li Qiang, will also represent their respective countries.

The prime minister of Mongolia as observer state, and deputy chairman of the cabinet of ministers and foreign minister of Turkmenistan as special guest will also participate in the meeting.

The SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting would discuss ongoing cooperation in fields of economy, trade, environment and socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the organisation.

PM Shehbaz Sharif would take over the chair of SCO Council of Chief Executives/Heads of the Government on Tuesday (today) for the period of one year, as India is relinquishing it after 17 months.

He would also hold important bilateral meetings with the visiting heads of delegations on the sidelines of the meeting. Indian Minister for External Affairs (MEA) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar would represent Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the summit. His would stay in Islamabad for about 24 hours, and he would return to his capital on Wednesday evening.

Jaishankar’s visit would be the first by an Indian external affairs minister in almost 10 years. He might attend the welcome dinner, hosted by PM Shehbaz Sharif at the PM House for the delegates on Tuesday.

Both the countries have excluded the prospect of a formal bilateral meeting on the occasion, but visiting Indian minister, like other delegates, would converse with host PM Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy PM Senator Ishaq Dar, who is also his counterpart, prior to the main summit. Jaishankar already stated that he was not traveling to Islamabad to address bilateral relations but to fulfil his role as a “good member” of the SCO, which comprises Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran, India, and four Central Asian nations.

The last Indian EAM to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj in December 2015. The Indian PM has never participated in the annual meeting of the Council of Heads of Government since India became a member in 2017, so Jaishankar’s attendance comes as no surprise.

Indian High Commission media wing told The News on Monday it had no clue about any schedule of media interaction of its EAM. But sources hinted that since Pakistan would raise the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, occupied by India, in its principal statement, Jaishankar might respond through media before his returning home.

Sources hinted that the Indian minister would have at least two meetings on the margins of the summit with Chinese and Russian foreign ministers. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar Monday termed the protest call of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a hollow threat, saying that the area from the airport to the red zone was completely safe.

He said it was a matter of pride to hold such a big event in Pakistan after 27 years, noting that after 11 years, Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang had come to Pakistan. He was holding a news conference after Chinese prime minister’s arrival in Pakistan. He said PTI’s protest call was a trivial issue as the party leaders were fighting among themselves; Hamid Khan and Ali Muhammad Khan did not want any protest, and some others were saying it was aimed at only recording their protest.

He said he did not understand the purpose of the protest. He said the army, rangers and troops were deployed and fool-proof security measures were taken. The minister said Pakistan’s economy was moving in a positive direction, noting Bloomberg called Pakistan an emerging economy; investment is increasing due to reduction of policy rates, inflation rate has decreased to 6.9pc, IT exports are increasing rapidly, he added. He continued that Pakistan’s emerging economy was being viewed positively across the world.

To a question about PTI’s style of politics, Tarar said the more you increase hatred and ego, the more it will increase. “On the one side, there is ego while on the other is patriotism; and historically, there has always been a difference between what is right and what is wrong,” he remarked.

The minister contended that those who could carry out May-9 attacks, desecrate the martyrs’ memorials by destroying them; those who could write to the IMF to bankrupt the country; those who think that any leader was bigger than Pakistan, “let me make it clear that no political party, including his and no political leader, is bigger than Pakistan”.

“The day I understand that my political party and my political leadership are bigger than Pakistan, then I have no right to live in Pakistan,” he added. Tarar said if Pakistanis exists, then there are political parties and politicians. “If someone says that it is not Pakistan, then it can only be regretted,” he argued.

Referring to the SCO moot, the minister said that “it is a matter of pride for us to have an event of this level in Pakistan after 27 years; the image of Pakistan has been restored at the international level and when a country hosts such a big conference, it also speaks volumes about its capabilities. It’s good that we have the ability to hold major events”.

He said that the successful holding of the SCO meeting gives hope that “we have the ability to organise the World Cup or a major international sports competition tomorrow. The image of Pakistan will be improved at the global level by holding the event”.

Separately, the federal government launched the Media Facilitation Centre on Monday, equipped with most modern facilities, to assist international and local media during the SCO Summit 2024, being hosted by Pakistan for the first time on October 15-16.

The facilitation centre was launched here at Pak-China Friendship Centre by the information minister, along with senior officers of the ministry. The centre has been decorated with thematic pictorials, banners and decorative material, fountains, highlighting the national landmarks of the member states, participating in the two-day regional summit.

The media centre has SMDs, projecting banners of different SCO members, whereas a dedicated multimedia showcasing eye catching landscapes and cultural heritage of Pakistan has been installed.

The ministry has set up a display centre providing literature regarding notable literary figures, cultural heritage, archaeological sites, tourism potential and other information valuable for the visiting dignitaries and the international media.

A high-speed wifi internet, studio, printing facilities have also been provided at the centre. Member National Assembly Barrister Daniyal Chaudhary visited different stalls and cafeteria of the facilitation centre and appreciated the minister and his team.

Separately, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sherry Rehman Monday expressed her enthusiasm about the SCO summit, considering it a significant honour for Pakistan and believed that the pivotal event would not only bolster regional ties but also stabilise the country’s foreign policy as international trust in Pakistan grows.

In an exclusive talk with a private news channel, she emphasised the significance of the SCO Summit in restoring confidence and strengthening diplomatic ties for Pakistan, which were damaged in the previous regime. “The SCO Summit presents a crucial opportunity for Pakistan to deepen its economic ties with member states, particularly China and Russia and position itself as a hub for trade and transit, facilitating greater economic integration within the region,” she added.

“By actively participating in the SCO, Pakistan can enhance its geopolitical and economic standing, strengthen security cooperation and promote regional connectivity,” she added. “India’s participation in the SCO Summit alongside Pakistan is a significant development where India can get an opportunity to discuss issues on table talks,” she added.

Sherry also emphasised that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) should demonstrate maturity and understand the significance of the SCO summit. “The SCO summit, founded by China and Russia in 2001, focuses on key areas such as political, economic, international security, and defence matters,” she added.