14 October, Dawn reported that the government is being extra cautious and has put in place “stringent” security measures to ensure safety during the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit (SCO). The summit is scheduled to be held between 15- 16 October. Members and delegates have already started arriving. A four-member delegation from India, 76 delegates from Russia, 15 representatives of China, a two-member team from Iran and a four-member delegation from Kyrgyzstan has already landed in Islamabad. Seven SCO delegated have also reached the capital. No members from Afghanistan have been invited given the developments since 2021when its Observers Status had been suspended.

On the security front, services of the Army has been called in, rangers have been deployed. Additional 10,000 police personnel have also been stationed to ensure the safety of the participating delegates. Further, suspension of metro bus services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi has been announced, public holiday has been declared for educational institutions, markets and government offices. Deputy Additionally, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, after a thorough survey, assured that all necessary arrangements have been made for the summit. He, however, called on the PTI to recall its announced protest for 15 October. Referencing PTI’s 2014 protest that had led to the postponement of Chinese president’s visit, he urged the PTI from repeating the same in the “larger national interest.”

An editorial in Dawn titled “SCO summit” highlighted the importance of the summit for Pakistan. Terming it “a matter of prestige,” the editorial added that this is important as it comes at a time when Pakistan is looking to recover economically. It also pointed that this significant as the state has presumably “thwarted attempts by certain quarters to isolate it internationally.” All this means that there is additional burden on the government that the event passes smoothly. Defending the stringent security measures taken by the government, the editorial pointed out that the state cannot take a chance. Commenting on the importance of the summit specifically for Pakistan, the editorial emphasized that the summit offers the country an opportunity to “engage with other states in the neighborhood.” This partnership is also important for Pakistan on its road to “economic prosperity.” Further, these regional relationships “create constituencies of peace and common efforts to encourage commerce and economic activity.” These forums also provide opportunities to parties for a dialogue that do not engage otherwise, for instance, India and Pakistan. The editorial, however, ruled out any possibility of bilateral talks between the two on the sidelines of the summit. Additionally, it also pointed out that earlier Pakistan was “a major voice in the comity of developing nations and the Muslim world,” however, it lost this due to its “internal weaknesses.” The editorial pointed out that if the summit is held successfully without any untoward incident, it would “signal that Pakistan is very much back on the world stage.”

References
Iftikhar A. Khan, “Foreign dignitaries arrive for SCO summit spadework,” Dawn, 14 October 2024
“SCO summit,” Dawn, 14 October 2024