Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted a dinner in honour of dignitaries from various states attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, said a media report.
It added “Right before the SCO dinner, footage from the venue showed PM Shehbaz welcoming and shaking hands with dignitaries, including India’s Jaishankar, with whom he also held a brief conversation.
The foreign dignitaries landed in Islamabad to participate in the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus — with 16 more countries affiliated. Pakistan became a full member of the SCO at its 2017 summit in Kazakhstan, which was attended by ex-PM Nawaz Sharif.
As the current Chair of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the summit.
Islamabad is beautifully decorated. Pictures of heads of state and national flags of SCO members adorn the city, with large screens installed for the event.
The Red Zone has been sealed, and military personnel have been deployed at entry and exit points. Vehicles are allowed access to Margalla Road after thorough checks, while heavy transport is restricted in Rawalpindi. Metro bus services will remain suspended for three days.