Security tightened as delegations arrive in Islamabad for SCO summit

Foreign delegations started arriving in Pakistan Sunday for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, amid heightened security and the deployment of the army in the national capital to maintain law and order during the event.

A 76-member Russian delegation and seven representatives of the SCO reached Pakistan. Separately, a four-member official delegation of India also arrived in Pakistan, Geo News reported quoting airport sources.

A 15-member delegation from China, a 4-member delegation from Kyrgyzstan and a two-member delegation from Iran also reached Islamabad.

The 23rd meeting of the heads of government of the member states of the SCO is set to take place in Islamabad on 15 and 16 October for which strict security arrangements have been made by the authorities. In a statement, Islamabad Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Nasir Ali Rizvi said that a “comprehensive” security plan had been chalked out ahead of the all-important summit in the federal capital.

“Security personnel will be deployed at funnel areas, hotels and places where foreign delegations are staying,” he said.

Furthermore, Rizvi said search and information-based operations were underway, with personnel of the Pakistan Army, intelligence agencies, Frontier Corps (FC) and Rangers performing their duties. The police chief pointed out that more than 9,000 personnel of the police force have been deployed for security. “ The government already deployed army troops in the capital to tackle any untoward situation, while announcing a ban on all kinds of protests and rallies in Islamabad, neighbouring Rawalpindi and some other cities.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang to attend event

China on Sunday confirmed that Premier Li Qiang will travel to Islamabad to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting this week and also pay a bilateral visit to enhance cooperation between the two countries.

The confirmation of Li’s attendance at the SCO summit followed speculation about his participation in the wake of the killing of two Chinese workers in a suicide attack in Karachi and the ongoing agitation by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for the release of its jailed leader and former premier Imran Khan.