200 Imran supporters held ahead of SCO summit in Pak

Elaborate security measures are in place as Pakistan on Monday was gearing up to host the summit starting Tuesday in Islamabad.

Foreign delegations have started to reach Pakistan to attend the mega international event being held under the shadow of increased terror attacks across the country and the continued protests by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party threatening to disrupt the law and order situation. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and prime ministers of China and Russia among others are attending the two-day 23rd SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) here to discuss the ongoing cooperation in economy, trade and environment. The CHG meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the organisation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his capacity as the current Chair of the CHG, will preside over the upcoming CHG meeting.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies have arrested more than 200 workers of Imran Khan’s party in the Punjab province to thwart its planned protest in Islamabad during the SCO summit, the police said on Monday.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had announced to hold a demonstration at the D-Chowk in the capital during the two-day summit. The officer said more arrests are likely by Monday night as there has been a strict order from the government to stop the PTI workers from reaching Islamabad from Punjab.