What to Expect at the Two-Day SCO CHG Summit Kicking Off Today

The 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG)** of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is set to commence today at the **Jinnah Convention Center** in Islamabad. Prime Minister **Shahbaz Sharif**, as the current chair of the Council, will initiate the proceedings with his opening remarks before the participating leaders address the gathering. He will also deliver concluding remarks following the signing of various agreements by the SCO leaders.

Delegates from member states and invited nations have already arrived in the capital for this annual meeting, which serves as the second highest forum within the SCO. Pakistan assumed the rotating chair of the SCO CHG for the 2023-24 term during the previous meeting held in Bishkek on October 26, 2023.

Prominent attendees at the summit include:
– **Li Qiang**, Premier of the State Council of China
– **Roman Golovchenko**, Prime Minister of Belarus
– **Olzhas Bektenov**, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
– **Mikhail Mishustin**, Prime Minister of Russia
– **Kohir Rasulzoda**, Prime Minister of Tajikistan
– **Abdulla Aripov**, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan
– **Zhaparov Akylbek**, Chairman of the Ministers’ Cabinet of Kyrgyzstan
– **Mohammad Reza Aref**, First Vice President of Iran
– **Subrahmanyam Jaishankar**, External Affairs Minister of India

Additionally, **Mongolia** is participating as an Observer State, represented by Prime Minister **Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai**, while **Turkmenistan** is attending as a Special Guest, represented by **Rashid Meredov**, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Other dignitaries include **Zhang Ming**, SCO Secretary-General; **Ruslan Mirzayev**, Director of the Executive Committee of SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS); **Atif Ikram Shaikh**, Chairman of the Board of SCO Business Council; and **Marat Yelibayev**, Chairman of the Council of SCO Interbank Union.

On the evening of the first day, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will host a welcome dinner for the attending dignitaries. The next day, the regional leaders will gather at the convention center to discuss ongoing cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, environment, and socio-cultural linkages. They will also review the organization’s performance, adopt key decisions to enhance cooperation among SCO member states, and approve the organization’s budget.

Before the formal session begins, Prime Minister Shahbaz will greet the leaders at the venue, followed by a group photo opportunity. The summit proceedings will kick off with his opening remarks, and he will wrap up the discussions with concluding remarks after the signing of documents.

Following the summit, **Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar**, along with SCO Secretary-General **Zhang Ming**, will address the media to highlight the summit’s outcomes.

Prime Minister Shahbaz will also host an official luncheon for the participating leaders on Wednesday.

Foreign Office spokesperson **Mumtaz Zahra Baloch** noted that hosting the CHG demonstrates Pakistan’s enduring commitment to the SCO Charter’s principles and the values of the Shanghai Spirit. Since joining the SCO in 2017, Pakistan has consistently worked to foster good neighborly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation among member states.