Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday arrived in Kyrgyzstan to attend the 19th Meeting of the Council of the Heads of State (CHS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) being held in the capital Bishkek.

The Prime Minister was received by Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, and Kyrgyz Minister for Health Kosmosbek Sarievich Cholponbaev. Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, who will chair the CHS meeting, had extended the invitation to the prime minister to attend the two-day summit.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and the PM’s Special Assistant on Youth Affairs Usman Dar accompanied the prime minister. Prior to his departure, Foreign Minister Qureshi told reporters here that the prime minister would address two sessions of the summit-level meeting, to be attended by other world leaders including from China, Russia and India.

He said the main objective of the SCO meeting was to deliberate towards collective efforts to address the challenges facing the region particularly economic situation and security. He said the prime minister would also hold bilateral interaction with other participating leaders on the sidelines. According to details of the prime minister’s visit, a number of decisions will be approved by the leaders along with the signing of agreements to intensify cooperation in diverse fields.The prime minister will have bilateral interaction with other participating leaders on the sidelines, including with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The leaders of SCO member and observer states, as well as representatives of important international organizations will attend the meeting.

Since becoming a member of SCO in 2017, Pakistan has been actively participating at all levels in various SCO mechanisms including foreign affairs, defence, national security, economy and trade, science and technology and innovation, youth and women empowerment, tourism and media. Last month, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi attended the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bishkek, which finalised the documents and decisions to be signed by the SCO leaders during the Council of the Heads of State meeting.

Besides Pakistan, SCO’s membership comprises China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. SCO Observers include Afghanistan, Iran, Belarus and Mongolia. The Council of Heads of State is the highest forum of SCO which considers and defines strategy, prospects and priorities of the organisation.