ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is gearing up to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of Governments meeting in October this year, announced Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch during a weekly press briefing on Thursday. The upcoming summit marks a significant milestone for Pakistan as it assumes the rotational Chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of Government, underscoring its deepening engagement within the SCO framework.
Baloch highlighted that ahead of the October summit, Pakistan will host a ministerial meeting and several rounds of senior officials meetings. These sessions will focus on enhancing cooperation across various sectors including finance, economics, socio-cultural affairs, and humanitarian efforts among SCO member countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior cabinet members are currently on an SCO engagement tour, visiting Kazakhstan for the SCO Council of Heads of State and SCO Plus Summits. Previously, they visited Tajikistan for bilateral discussions. During the Astana summit, PM Shehbaz Sharif also participated in the inaugural Pakistan-Azerbaijan-Turkey Trilateral Summit, emphasizing regional cooperation.
In Tajikistan, discussions centered on bolstering comprehensive cooperation between Pakistan and Tajikistan on mutual regional and global concerns. A Strategic Partnership Agreement was signed during the visit, paving the way for scheduled high-level dialogues involving leaders and Foreign Ministers.
Furthermore, the Foreign Office spokesperson announced a humanitarian initiative by Pakistan to facilitate medical education for Palestinian students from Gaza. Under the directive of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Pakistan has allowed batches of 20-30 Gaza students to continue their medical education in Pakistani medical colleges. This initiative aims to address critical healthcare needs in Gaza, focusing on specialties such as cardiology, orthopedics, oncology, pediatrics, and surgery.
Regarding recent international reports on religious freedom, Zahra Baloch criticized unilateral assessments that she claimed were politically biased and failed to present a complete picture. She emphasized Pakistan’s efforts in holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring legal protections for religious minorities, challenging the report’s perspective.
Lastly, she condemned the Indian authorities’ continued crackdown on dissent in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), highlighting the recent arrest of prominent Kashmiri lawyer Mian Abdul Qayoom. Baloch described his detention as a political vendetta and called for the release of thousands of Kashmiri political prisoners and human rights defenders, reaffirming Pakistan’s support for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions.
