Islamabad, 16 September 2021 (TDI): Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan will attend the 20th session of Shanghai Cooperation Organization- Council of Heads of States (SCO-CHS) Summit 2021 on 17th September held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
SCO was established in 2001. China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are the eight members of the organization. Pakistan became an Observer state of SCO in 2005 and a full member in 2017.
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit for the SCO summit will open new prospects for strengthening socio-economic cooperation among the member countries. Since becoming a full member, Pakistan has been active to promote social-economic relations with the member countries. Pakistan has offered member countries access to its warm waters. There is an Intergovernmental Joint Economic Commission (JEC) between Pakistan and Iran. The CASA-1000 program which will be completed in 2023 is also a significant energy project among Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
During the SCO summit, the key focus of Pakistan will be on joint cooperation in security, counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, greater connectivity, transport link, and enhanced trade with member countries.
Pakistan envisages greater cooperation for regional connectivity, trade, investment, political ties, defense, and people-to-people contacts. In order to achieve that Pakistan formulates Vision Central Asia along with utilizing the SCO platform.
On the sidelines of the SCO Summit, Prime Minister Imran Khan will hold meetings with the President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, and other dignitaries of Central Asian countries.
