Consular Services Suspended in Islamabad During SCO Summit
Consular services at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad will be suspended from October 14 to 17 due to security concerns related to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, as per a recent announcement by the Foreign Office.
While services will be interrupted in Islamabad, the Ministry’s liaison offices in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Gujrat will continue to offer consular services without any disruption. The suspension is in connection with the upcoming SCO summit scheduled to take place in Islamabad on October 15 and 16.
The summit will be attended by representatives from member countries including Indian Foreign Minister Jay Shankar, as well as leaders from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Iran. In preparation for the event, the federal government has declared public holidays on October 14 to 16 in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
At a recent high-level meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, security arrangements for the summit were reviewed, and a comprehensive security plan was approved to ensure the safety of all attendees. Hosting the SCO Summit in Pakistan was emphasized as a significant event with multiple heads of state in attendance.