Exterior Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan, for the twenty third assembly of the Council of Heads of Authorities (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). This two-day summit has attracted leaders from member states and is going down beneath heightened safety measures attributable to current militant exercise within the area.
This go to marks the primary time in practically 9 years that an Indian overseas minister has set foot in Pakistan, highlighting the continuing tensions between the 2 nations over points equivalent to Kashmir and cross-border terrorism. Regardless of the chilly diplomatic relations, Jaishankar’s presence on the summit underscores the significance of regional dialogue and cooperation.
In response to safety issues, Pakistani authorities have carried out a lockdown within the capital and neighboring Rawalpindi. The federal government declared a three-day vacation beginning Monday, limiting motion and shutting key roads to make sure security for visiting officers. Troops have been deployed all through the town, and lots of companies have shut down. This heavy-handed strategy has prompted important disruption, even affecting ambulances trying to navigate the streets. Medical personnel have reported challenges reaching hospitals attributable to barricades, resulting in requires police to clear entry routes.
The primary occasion of the SCO assembly is scheduled for Wednesday, the place leaders will focus on enhancing safety cooperation and strengthening financial ties amongst member nations. The SCO, based in 2001 by China and Russia, goals to counter Western alliances and contains nations equivalent to Iran, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Current weeks have seen a surge in militant assaults throughout Pakistan, notably within the northwestern and southwestern areas bordering Afghanistan. Whereas safety consultants assert that militants at the moment have restricted capability to launch strikes in Islamabad, the Pakistani authorities typically attributes these assaults to the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, who’re believed to function from protected havens in Afghanistan. The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has repeatedly claimed that it doesn’t allow its territory for use for assaults in opposition to different nations.
Notably, on October 6, a suicide bombing outdoors the airport in Karachi claimed the lives of two Chinese language engineers, an incident attributed to a separatist group. This assault underscores the risky safety state of affairs within the area, prompting authorities to undertake stringent measures to safeguard overseas dignitaries.
Traditionally, when dignitaries go to Pakistan, locals would line the streets to supply a heat welcome. Nevertheless, the present ambiance necessitates strict safety protocols attributable to heightened fears of militant violence. Solely state media have been licensed to cowl the summit conferences, additional reflecting the safety issues surrounding the occasion.
Among the many notable attendees on the SCO summit are China’s Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, and the prime ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Mongolia. As discussions unfold, the main focus might be on not solely addressing regional safety challenges but in addition fostering financial partnerships that may profit member states amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.
