SCO Meeting in Pakistan live updates: Jaishankar plants sapling in Indian High Commission premises in Islamabad

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar had a morning walk at the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan. He also planted a sapling here.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday stressed the need for reaching a common point between India and Pakistan, especially on climate change and terrorism. Amid the ongoing SCO meet, Bhutto said that the two nations should learn from the success of Shanghai Cooperation Organization and initiate talks.

Pakistan PM Shehbaz is all set to preside over the summit as the current Chair of the Council of the Heads of Gover­n­ment

"I am happy that the ice has broken with all our differences with Pakistan...I hope that both countries will start a new chapter for peace. I hope that good things will happen and that EAM S Jaishankar will remember Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's words that friends can be changed neighbours cannot be changed...I hope he carries that message with him. Pakistan and India are one country before it was divided...Trade rather than going through Dubai will go directly through the Wagah border...A new chapter of friendship will start as much hatred has existed in the past. This hatred affects the Hindus in Pakistan and Muslims in India," Abdullah told ANI.

This is the first visit by India’s foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years, taking place against a backdrop of ongoing tensions over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism linked to Pakistan.

Upon arriving in Islamabad, Jaishankar shared several photos of himself interacting with children in traditional attire.

The last Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj, who attended the 'Heart of Asia' conference on Afghanistan in Islamabad from December 8-9, 2015. Jaishankar was part of her delegation during that trip.

Shortly after Swaraj's visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprising 150-minute stop in Lahore while returning from Kabul.

The 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) is set to commence on Wednesday in Islamabad, with extensive security measures in place.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif. The two leaders exchanged pleasantries during dinner reception for SCO delegates in Islamabad.

S Jaishankar landed in Rawalpindi for the 23rd SCO meet to be hosted by Pakistan.

Kyrgyz Prime Minister Akylbek Zhaparov arrived in Islamabad to participate in a high-profile gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The meeting, which marks a significant event for Pakistan in recent years, is being held under strict security measures across the city.

The SCO, a key Eurasian security and political alliance established in 2001 by Russia and China, will see the attendance of several notable leaders. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is already in Pakistan, and seven other prime ministers from member and observer states, including Russian Premier Mikhail Mishustin, are set to join the discussions.

The summit has drawn additional attention as India, Pakistan’s long-standing rival, is represented by External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar—marking the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly a decade amidst ongoing tensions between the two nuclear nations.

The SCO includes a diverse membership featuring Iran, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with additional participation from the Prime Ministers of Belarus and Mongolia.

The 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) is all set to kick off on Wednesday in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, with top-notch security measures in place.
With the arrival of foreign top officials, the security agencies are determined to prevent any disruptions and have amped up security in Islamabad, according to a report by Dawn.

To ensure the safety and security of the 23rd SCO summit in Islamabad, the Pakistan Army has been deployed to safeguard the event, key government buildings, and the Red Zone area.

Additionally, rangers have been stationed throughout the capital. As a precautionary measure, numerous businesses have been temporarily shut down to minimise security risks in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Key routes have also been closed.

Notably, the government has deployed over 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel for the security of about 900 delegates who are set to arrive for the event. The delegates will stay at different places in the capital located inside the 'Red Zone' or in the vicinity, as 14 locations in the capital have been arranged for their accommodation, Dawn reported.

A motorcade of 124 vehicles has been arranged to ensure transportation for guests. This fleet will be divided into two groups: 84 vehicles will escort the heads of states, while 40 vehicles will cater to other delegates.

India remains actively engaged in various mechanisms of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), New Delhi said on Tuesday, hours before External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar lands in Pakistan to attend a conclave of the influential regional grouping. It will be the first visit by an Indian foreign minister in nearly a decade that comes amid continuing chill in India-Pakistan relations.

Pakistan is hosting the two-day SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit meeting on October 15 and 16.

"The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the Organisation," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Pakistan's main opposition called off its protest on Tuesday as the 23rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation begins here under tight security. The two-day meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in fields of economy, trade, environment and socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the Organisation.
Pakistan assumed the rotating chair of the SCO CHG, the second highest forum within the SCO, for 2023-24 at the previous meeting, held in Bishkek in October 2023.

The CHG meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Responding quickly, the Pakistani government led by Shehbaz Sharif slammed PTI for its move.

"Inviting Indian FM to address its workers raises questions on PTI's credibility," said Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui alleged that the PTI only invited the Indian minister and no other dignitary to address their protest.

"Out of all the leaders, PTI invited only the Indian FM. It would be better if the PTI takes Jaishankar to more than 200 defence installations and destroyed monuments of martyrs," he said while referring to the massive riots in the country on May 9, 2023.

Meanwhile, all security agencies in Pakistan remain on their toes as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has announced its plan to hold a major protest in Islamabad on Tuesday on the very first day of the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting.

All eyes are fixed on the visit of India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar as Pakistan hosts the two-day SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting in Islamabad starting Tuesday.

Despite the fact that India has not requested for any bilateral engagement during Jaishankar's stay in Islamabad, several ministers of the ruling government and the opposition leaders have put the spotlight on his arrival for domestic political gains.

It all began with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Information Advisor Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif extending an invitation to Jaishankar to come and meet PTI workers who are holding a protest rally in the country's capital.

"All foreign delegations coming to Islamabad for the SCO Summit will be happy to see our protest and will appreciate the democratic practices and strength of our country... We would also invite Mr. Jaishankar to address our anti-government protest and see for himself how strong Pakistan's democracy is," said Saif.

Elaborate security measures are in place as Pakistan 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.

China’s Premier Li Qiang on Monday inaugurated a Beijing-funded airport built in restive southwestern Pakistan a week after militants killed two Chinese workers, as he arrived for a regional security meeting in Islamabad.

Li will be the most prominent leader at the two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization starting Tuesday to discuss how to boost security and economic ties between the member states. It was founded by Russia and China to counter Western alliances.

Hours after arriving in Islamabad, Li and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a televised ceremony virtually inaugurated a Chinese-funded international airport in Gwadar, in the southwestern province of Balochistan. It's part of a massive investment by Beijing that links a deep sea port and airport on the Arabian Sea by road with China.

Separatists in Balochistan, who accuse the Chinese and others of economic exploitation, are opposed to the project. Last week, two Chinese workers were killed and another was wounded when a suicide bomber dispatched by separatists rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into their convoy outside the country’s largest airport in Karachi.

Eight Pakistani security officials were also wounded in the Oct. 6 attack, which targeted the thousands of Chinese working in Pakistan on projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The two leaders also witnessed the signing of agreements to boost economic and trade ties. Li is the first Chinese premier to visit Pakistan in more than a decade, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.

Pakistan's capital was under strict security lockdown as Chinese Premier Li Qiang landed in the city on Monday ahead of a heads-of-government gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation this week.

Li's visit is the first by a Chinese premier to Pakistan in 11 years, Pakistan's Prime Minister's Office said. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received Li at the airport.

The government has announced a three-day public holiday in Islamabad, with schools and businesses shut and large contingents of police and paramilitary forces deployed.

Pakistan army troops will be responsible for the security of the capital's Red Zone, the location of the parliament and a diplomatic enclave and where most of the meetings will take place, according to the interior ministry.

The threat alert has been high in the South Asian nation ahead of the SCO summit, especially after the killing of two Chinese engineers and shooting to death of 21 miners.

Tensions have mounted after jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan called for a protest on Oct. 15 to press for his release and agitate against the coalition government, following violent clashes between his party loyalists and security forces.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to withdraw its October 15 protest call in the "larger national interest," Geo News reported.
Dar's remarks came as Pakistan is all set to hold the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting set to be held on October 15-16 in Islamabad.

Speaking to reports following his visit to review arrangements for the upcoming SCO meeting, Dar stated that for the sake of politics, it was not good for a political party that had been repeating activities of 2014. Due to PTI's protest, Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit has been postponed.

Ishaq Dar said that PTI had already crossed all the red lines in the past and targeted the state institutions and urged the party's leadership to rectify their wrong decision. He stated that several nations have requested bilateral meetings on the sidelines of SCO meeting, which were finalised.

Dar's remarks came after PTI announced that it would hold a protest at Islamabad's D-Chowk on October 15, the day when the SCO Summit will start, ARY News reported.

On being asked whether Afghanistan was invited to attend the SCO meeting, Dar said that the observer status of that country had been virtually suspended since 2021 as Afghanistan had neither been invited to nor participated in SCO meetings.

Ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest scheduled for October 15, Lahore police have arrested more than 35 PTI activists from various parts of the city, ARY News reported.
According to the details, the Punjab police carried out raids in several regions, including Defence, Kot Lakhpat, and Johar Town, targeting people believed to be involved in organising the PTI protest.

The police operation is part of a strategy to maintain law and order and stop any disruptions as Pakistan is set to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit on October 15-16.

The leadership of the Imran Khan-founded party has announced that it will hold a protest on October 15 to voice concerns regarding political grievances, which have sparked tensions between Imran Khan's party and law enforcement agencies, the report said. It is the first day of the SCO Summit set to be held in Islamabad.

Considering these developments, police officials have stressed their commitment to ensuring public safety while also respecting people's right to protest, ARY News reported.

The police's action came after PTI last week announced a protest after the party held its political committee meeting. In a post on X, PTI's central information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said a 'powerful' protest would be held at D-Chowk in Islamabad on October 15.

China's Premier Li Qiang is the most prominent leader attending this week's meeting in Pakistan of a regional security grouping that was founded by Russia and China to counter Western alliances, despite a surge in militant violence in the country.

Li arrived in Islamabad for the two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization starting Tuesday to discuss how to boost security and economic ties between the member states.

Li is the first Chinese premier to visit Pakistan in more than a decade. He arrived a week after two Chinese workers were killed and another was wounded when a suicide bomber dispatched by separatists in southwestern Balochistan province rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a convoy outside the country’s largest airport in Karachi.

Eight Pakistani security officials were also wounded in the Oct. 6 attack. It targeted some of the thousands of Chinese working in Pakistan on projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, while separatists accuse them of plundering mineral resources.

Gunmen last week also killed 21 coal miners in the the same province, but the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army denied its involvement. Authorities said they were still trying to determine who was behind the assault.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to land in Pakistan on Tuesday to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), in the first high-level visit from India in years amid continuing strain in ties between the two neighbours. Shortly after he arrives in Islamabad, the external affairs minister is likely to attend a banquet reception hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to welcome the delegates from the SCO member nations, people familiar with the matter said.
Both sides have already ruled out any bilateral talks between Jaishankar and his Pakistan counterpart Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the SCO heads of government summit.

It will be for the first time in nearly nine years that India's foreign minister will travel to Pakistan, even as the ties between the two neighbours remain frosty over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.