ISLAMABAD: Due to the political situation following the 26th constitutional amendment, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is unlikely to attend the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.
Sources indicate that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to depart for Samoa on Sunday night, though his participation depends on any positive developments regarding the legislation.
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar is also set to attend the Commonwealth summit. If Dar travels to Samoa, it will provide another opportunity for a meeting between the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India.
According to the Commonwealth’s website, the CHOGM is held every two years and is hosted by different member countries on a rotational basis. The 2022 meeting took place in Rwanda, and this year’s event will run from October 21-26 in Samoa.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz received an invitation from King Charles III to attend the summit. The prime minister accepted, underscoring the importance of the event as the first CHOGM chaired by King Charles since he became head of the Commonwealth in September 2022.
During the conversation, PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the Commonwealth and its values as outlined in the Commonwealth Charter. He also highlighted his eagerness to discuss climate change, a topic of great importance to the Commonwealth, especially given Pakistan’s vulnerability to its impacts.
In 2022, Pakistan experienced catastrophic floods, exacerbated by climate change. These floods claimed 1,700 lives, destroyed vast areas of farmland, affected 33 million people, and caused an estimated $30 billion in damages.
