ISLAMABAD: Shanghai Coopera­tion Organisation (SCO) is scheduled for Oct 15-16, to address pressing issues such as environmental collaboration and organisational performance.

Nine of the 10 member states are being represented at the prime-ministerial level, considering that the office of the first vice president in the Iranian system is equivalent to that of the prime minister.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as the current Chair of the CHG, will preside over the leaders’ meetings, which will be held at the Jinnah Convention Centre.

The CHG, the second-highest decision-making body in the SCO, plays a pivotal role in shaping the organisation’s economic initiatives and deciding institutional matters.

The gathering is expected to result in the adoption of key measures aimed at enhancing economic partnerships among member states and approving the SCO’s budget for the upcoming year.

The summit will bring toge­ther Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mik­hail Mishustin, Belarusian PM Roman Golovchenko and Iran’s First Vice President Reza Aref. Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bek­tenov, Kyrgyzstan’s Akylbek Japarov, Tajikistan’s Kohir Rasulzoda, and Uzbekistan’s Abdulla Aripov are also exp­ected to participate in the meeting.

India’s Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar will represent his country.

Observer states like Mon­go­lia, represented by Prime Min­ister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, and special guests such as Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman Rashid Meredov will also be in attendance.

Representatives from international organisations like the Com­m­on­wealth of Independent States and the European Economic Community are also expected to participate.

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, at her recent briefing, emphasised the summit’s importance in driving enhanced economic cooperation, trade, and environmental collaboration across the region.

“This meeting will serve as a crucial platform for adopting important decisions aimed at strengthening ties among SCO member states,” she said.

The leaders will discuss and review key initiatives related to trade, environment, and socio-cultural linkages, with the intention of boosting regional stability and cooperation.

PM Shehbaz is also expected to hold several bilateral meetings with visiting heads of delegation on the sidelines of the summit, aiming to enhance Pakistan’s diplomatic ties and cooperation with regional powers.