Pakistan beefs up security ahead of high-profile SCO meet from Tuesday

Islamabad: Elaborate security measures are in place as Pakistan on Monday was gearing up to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit starting Tuesday here in Islamabad.

Foreign delegations have started to reach Pakistan to attend the mega international event being held under the shadow of increased terror attacks across the country and the continued protests by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party threatening to disrupt the law and order situation.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and prime ministers of China and Russia among others are attending the two-day 23rd SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) here to discuss the ongoing cooperation in economy, trade and environment.

The CHG meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the Organisation.

The leaders will adopt important organisational decisions to further enhance cooperation among SCO member States and approve the budget of the Organisation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his capacity as the current Chair of the CHG, will preside over the upcoming CHG meeting.

According to the Foreign Office, the SCO member States will be represented by the Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the First Vice President of Iran apart from Jaishankar.

Prime Minister of Mongolia (Observer State) and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan (Special Guest) will also participate in the meeting.

A 76-member Russian delegation, 15-member delegation from China, four-member official delegation from India, four-member delegation from Kyrgyzstan and a two-member delegation from Iran have already reached Islamabad.

Seven representatives of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation have also reached Pakistan.

Meanwhile, police, paramilitary rangers and army troops have been deployed to keep peace.

The authorities have banned all kinds of political gatherings and protests on this occasion, however, tension prevailed due to the threat of protest by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which announced to hold a demonstration at the D-Chowk if party leaders and others were not allowed to meet Khan.

Authorities warned to deal with the protesters with an iron hand but behind the scene efforts were being made to persuade the party to call off its protest.

Sources said that the government may allow PTI chairman Gohar Khan and a team of lawyers to meet Khan to meet its demand for cancelling the protest.