Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit prompts three-day public holiday in Islamabad for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting.
Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, is on high alert as Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrives for a four-day visit to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) regional summit. This marks the first visit by a Chinese premier to Pakistan in over a decade.
The SCO meeting, with full member countries like China, India, Iran, and Russia, aims to address security concerns in Central Asia. The high-profile participants include the prime ministers of China and Russia, among others.
To ensure security during the summit, a three-day public holiday has been declared in Islamabad, with heightened security measures and the deployment of police and paramilitary forces. Pakistani soldiers will oversee security in the Red Zone, where most meetings will take place.
Amidst tensions related to opposition protests and recent attacks on Chinese nationals, discussions during the Li’s visit will focus on economic and trade ties, particularly under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Li is expected to inaugurate the CPEC-funded Gwadar International Airport, further strengthening ties between China and Pakistan.