Vikrant Shekhawat : Oct 14, 2024, 12:58 PM
SCO Summit 2024: Foreign delegations have started arriving in Pakistan ahead of October 15, 2024 for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The heads of government of SCO member countries will participate in this conference to be held on October 15 and 16 in Islamabad. Tight security arrangements have been made in Pakistan for this important event, which includes deployment of army in the capital Islamabad.Major foreign delegations reach PakistanAccording to 'Geo News', a 76-member delegation of Russia and seven members of the SCO have already reached Pakistan. A four-member official delegation of India, a 15-member delegation of China, delegations from Kyrgyzstan and Iran have also arrived in Islamabad. This conference is an important occasion for Pakistan, where prominent leaders and representatives of many countries will attend.Tight security arrangementsInspector General of Islamabad Police (IGP) Nasir Ali Rizvi said that a "comprehensive" security plan has been prepared for the conference. Police, army, intelligence agencies, Frontier Corps (FC), and Rangers personnel have been deployed in the security arrangements. Hotels and gathering places where foreign delegations are staying will also be monitored by armed personnel. Searches and information-based operations are also being carried out to deal with any untoward incident.Ban on demonstrations and ralliesAny kind of protest or rally has been strictly banned during the SCO summit. More than 9,000 security personnel have been deployed in the capital Islamabad and surrounding areas. Special plans have also been issued to ensure smooth traffic movement so that citizens do not face any inconvenience.Pakistan is ready: Foreign Minister Ishaq DarPakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan is fully prepared to host the SCO summit. He said, "We are ready to welcome all the leaders including the Indian Foreign Minister." On this occasion, Dar also expressed Pakistan's commitment to fulfill its international responsibilities in the best possible manner. He said that the Chinese Prime Minister will hold bilateral talks with the Pakistani Prime Minister, while India has not requested any such bilateral meeting.PTI threatens protestPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has threatened to protest on October 15 during the conference. The party has announced to take this step against the restrictions imposed on its leader Imran Khan. PTI demands that Imran Khan be allowed to meet his family, legal team and doctors. On this, Ishaq Dar, without naming the party, described such protests as against the national interest and said, "Such protests during important national events do not give a positive message."SCO: A major platformThe major member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) include Pakistan, China, India, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. Apart from this, 16 other countries are associated as observers or "dialogue partners". The SCO aims to promote cooperation on issues of regional stability, economic development and security.The summit held in Islamabad is an important opportunity for Pakistan to strengthen its presence on the international stage and improve regional relations.