PM to attend SCO meeting in Bishkek on June 13

Lahore : Prime Minister Imran Khan will leave for Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, to attend the 19th meeting of the Council of the Heads of State (CHS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on June 13-14.

The invitation to the Prime Minister was extended by Kyrgyz President
Sooronbay Jeenbekov, who would chair the CHS meeting.

The leaders of SCO member and observer States as well as
representatives of important International Organizations will attend
the meeting.

The Prime Minister will address two sessions of the meeting. A
number of decisions would be approved by the leaders, besides signing
of agreements to intensify cooperation in diverse fields.

The Prime Minister will have bilateral interaction with other
participating leaders on the sidelines of the meeting, Foreign Office
said in a press release on Wednesday.

The Council of Heads of State is the highest forum of SCO which
considers and defines strategy, prospects and priorities of the
Organization.

Besides Pakistan, SCO’s membership comprises China, Russia,
India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.The SCO Observers include Afghanistan, Iran, Belarus and Mongolia.

The SCO is among the major trans-regional organizations. Pakistan
shares deep-rooted historical and cultural links with SCO member
states.

The SCO’s multi-sectoral cooperation agenda is in line with the
Government of Pakistan’s policy of promoting regional peace and
stability and seeking enhanced linkages in infrastructure, economic,
trade and cultural spheres.

Pakistan offers critical overland route for trade and energy and
supports SCO’s efforts for regional integration through linking CPEC
with the six land routes of SCO.

Since becoming an SCO member in 2017, Pakistan has been actively
participating at all levels in various SCO mechanisms including
foreign affairs, defence, national security, economy and trade,
education and healthcare, S&T and innovation, youth and women
empowerment, justice, agriculture, culture & sports, tourism and
media.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had attended the SCO Council
of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting in Bishkek on 21-22 May 2019.

The CFM considered and finalized the documents and decisions to
be signed by the SCO Leaders during the CHS meeting.