Pakistan Hosts High-Stakes SCO Summit, Strengthens Diplomatic Position

Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan successfully hosted the 23rd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Governments (CHG) at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad, marking one of the country’s most significant diplomatic events in recent years. The summit, attended by leaders from 10 nations, emphasized the importance of regional security and stability amidst a rapidly evolving global landscape.

In his keynote address, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged member states to collaborate for greater regional security and economic progress. “We are at a historic moment of transition where sweeping transformations are reshaping the global, social, political, economic, and security landscape,” said Sharif.

The summit saw the participation of high-ranking officials, including China’s Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The latter’s attendance garnered significant attention, marking the first visit by an Indian foreign minister in nearly a decade, despite the strained relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Other key attendees included the prime ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus, as well as Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref. Mongolia, an observer state, was represented by Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, and Turkmenistan sent Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Rashid Meredov as a special guest.

Commenting on the summit’s diplomatic implications, former ambassador Maleeha Lodhi noted, “Pakistan’s diplomatic position has strengthened globally by hosting this summit. This is an important diplomatic moment as key leaders from the region are attending.”

The summit also included participation from the SCO’s top officials, such as Secretary-General Zhang Ming, and representatives from various SCO-affiliated bodies. Security in Islamabad was tight, with the city largely shut down for the two-day event and over 9,000 police officers deployed alongside security forces to ensure its smooth conduct.