SCO Summit Start to on 15 October in Islamabad

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit is scheduled to occur in Islamabad from October 15 to 16, with leaders from eight member countries expected to participate. Established in 2001, the SCO aims to foster political, economic, and security cooperation in the region.

Founded in Shanghai, the SCO was initiated by leaders from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, who were originally part of the “Shanghai Five.” Uzbekistan joined the group in 2001, leading to the organization’s renaming. In July 2015, India and Pakistan were also admitted as members.

Pakistan had been an observer state since 2005, regularly participating in SCO meetings before formally applying for full membership in 2010. During the Ufa summit in July 2015, member states approved Pakistan’s request and established a framework for its inclusion, increasing the number of member countries to eight. Pakistan and India received full membership status on June 9, 2017. The current member states include China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran, which joined as a permanent member in 2023. Several other nations participate as observers or partners.

The last visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan took place in 2015 when then-Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the “Heart of Asia” conference in Islamabad.

Next week, two major nuclear powers will send their prime ministers to Pakistan. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin is expected to arrive in Islamabad on October 14, accompanied by a delegation and a large number of Russian journalists. He will meet with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior Pakistani officials.

On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Qiang will also arrive in Pakistan with a high-level delegation. His three-day visit will include bilateral discussions with Pakistani leaders on various topics, including security for Chinese nationals and projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The second part of Premier Li’s visit will consist of multilateral engagements, as he will participate in the SCO summit on October 15 and 16. This visit marks the first time a Chinese premier has come to Pakistan in 11 years, with numerous agreements expected to be signed during the summit.

During the conference, member states will engage in discussions with Pakistan’s political and military leadership, further strengthening regional cooperation and collaboration.