DUSHANBE (Tajikistan): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday joined other regional leaders at the 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of State (SCO-CHS) Summit, in Tajikistan’s capital. On his arrival at Nauroz palace – the venue of the SCO meeting, the prime minister was warmly received by Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon.
At the welcome ceremony, PM Imran Khan and other participating leaders of SCO member states posed for a group photograph with President Emomali, the head of the host country. Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf and Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood were part of the call group.
LIVE #APPNews : Prime Minister Imran Khan arrives to participate in 20th SCO-CHS Summit Nauroz Palace #Dushanbe Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda received him. @PakPMO #PMIKAtSCOSummit https://t.co/veXEqUD494
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Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told media at the SCO venue that Prime Minister Imran Khan would present Pakistan’s stance on the importance of peace and security for the development and prosperity of the region. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the event would open up opportunities for Pakistan to collaborate with regional countries at the SCO platform and also discuss ways for a peaceful Afghanistan.
National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf said Pakistan, at the SCO summit, would reiterate its stance that the international community must maintain the policy of engagement with Afghanistan.
The SCO, an eight-member permanent inter-governmental trans-regional Organisation, was established in Shanghai on 15 June 2001. Pakistan became an SCO Observer in 2005 and a full member in June 2017 during Astana SCO-CHS Summit. Russia, China, India, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan are other SCO members.
The SCO also has four Observer states (Iran, Mongolia, Belarus and Afghanistan) and six Dialogue Partners (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka). The Prime Minister’s visit is part of Pakistan’s deepened engagement with Central Asia, through ‘Vision Central Asia’ policy, with revitalised focus in five key areas of political ties, trade and investment, energy and connectivity, security and defence, and people-to-people contacts.