 "SCO: A Chinese premier in Islamabad after 11 years, Pakistan deploys Army to secure capital")
Pakistan is hosting the 2024 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, but the Shehbaz Sharif-led government has put the country’s capital Islamabad under stringent security lockdown, not due to any threat or warning, but for Chinese Premier Li Qiang who landed in the city on Monday.
Li touched down Islamabad and was received by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the airport. His visit is the first by a Chinese premier to Pakistan in 11 years, Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office said.
Three-day holiday in Pakistan
Foreign delegations have started arriving in Pakistan on Sunday for the 23rd meeting of the heads of government of the member states of the SCO – nine full members including China, India, Iran and Russia – which is scheduled to be held in Islamabad on October 15 and 16.
The Pakistan government has announced a three-day public holiday in Islamabad, with schools and businesses shut.
Islamabad turns into fortress
Islamabad Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Nasir Ali Rizvi said more than 9,000 personnel of the police force have been deployed for security. Also, paramilitary forces have been positioned for close vigil during the summit days.
As per the country’s interior ministry, Pakistan army troops will be responsible for the security of Islamabad’s Red Zone, the location of the parliament and a diplomatic enclave and where most of the meetings will take place.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThreat alert in Pakistan after 2 Chinese engineers killed
According to a report by Reuters, the threat alert in Pakistan has been high ahead of the SCO summit, especially after the killing of two Chinese engineers and shooting to death of 21 miners.
Also, Islamabad has sought to curb all movement of Chinese nationals in the city, citing fears they could be targets for violence from separatist militants.
Tensions have increased after Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan called for a protest on October 15 to press for his release and agitate against the coalition government, following violent clashes between his party loyalists and security forces.
Chinese Premier in Pakistan: What’s Li Qiang’s schedule?
Apart from attending the SCO Summit, Li, accompanied by senior officials, will also be undertaking a four-day bilateral visit to Pakistan from Monday to Thursday.
Li and Sharif will lead their respective delegations to discuss economic and trade ties and cooperation under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $65 billion investment in the South Asian country under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.
The Chinese Premier is also scheduled to inaugurate the CPEC funded Gwadar International Airport in restive southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.
With inputs from Reuters.
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