PM Imran Khan to participate in 20th SCO-CHS today

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will be participating in the 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of State (SCO-CHS), being held in video conference format today (10th November 2020).

“The invitation to the prime minister to attend the SCO-CHS was extended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who would chair the meeting. Leaders from all eight SCO member states and four observer states will attend, besides the UN Secretary General and the Secretary General of SCO”, says the Foreign Office.

Indian Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have also confirmed their participation. Pakistan, giving importance to this multilateral council, says for it this is an important forum for further enriching its deep rooted historical and cultural links with member states, providingthese ties a sound economic foundation, and promoting Pakistan as a regional trade and transit corridor. “Since becoming a member in 2017, Pakistan has been actively contributing to the promotion SCO’s multi-sectoral agenda through participation in various SCO mechanisms”, said the Foreign Office.

The SCO-CHS is the highest forum of SCO. It adopts documents and decisions that provide policy guidelines for determining priorities and major areas of activities of the organisation. The 20th SCO-CHS will adopt 16 documents including ‘Moscow Declaration’ reflecting member states’ stance on important regional and international issues.

Besides Pakistan, SCO’s current membership comprises China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. “SCO’s major objectives include promoting mutual confidence and good-neighbourly relations among member states, strengthening regional peace, security and stability, and creating a framework for effective cooperation in political, cultural, trade and economy, science and technology, education, energy, transportation, tourism, environmental protection and other fields”, pointed out the FO.