PAKISTAN is hosting a meeting of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) in Islamabad from tomorrow.

The SCO was established in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to promote peace and co-operation amongst its members and observers.

The core aims of the organisation will be the main themes of this week’s discussions. 

Rising tensions in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine are likely to be at the top of the agenda for the leaders, alongside the development of closer trade relations.

But arrangements in Pakistan for ensuring the safety of the visiting leaders have also come under the microscope.

Pakistan’s capital was under strict security lockdown as Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived today ahead of the meeting.

A three-day public holiday in Islamabad was announced for the summit, with schools and businesses shut and police and paramilitary forces deployed on the streets for its duration.

Mr Li is the first Chinese premier to visit Pakistan in 11 years.

Last week’s deadly attack on a convoy of Chinese engineers in the port city of Karachi has deepened security fears in a country where separatist groups routinely target Chinese nationals.

There has also been a recent attack on a foreign ambassador’s convoy, protests by supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan, and a bombing outside Pakistan’s biggest airport.

India and Pakistan joined the SCO in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023.

Mongolia, Belarus and Afghanistan are official observer states, while Sri Lanka, Turkey, Cambodia, Azerbaijan, Nepal, Armenia, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Myanmar, the Maldives and the United Arab Emirates are dialogue partners.