ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson said on Monday that the security of high-level foreign dignitaries expected to arrive in Islamabad for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit next week is a “top priority” for the government, as the South Asian country deals with a surge in militant attacks in the country.
The foreign office spokesperson’s comments came a day after three people, including two Chinese nationals, were killed and 10 were injured in a blast near Karachi airport on Sunday night. The attack was claimed by the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which said it used a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device to target the Chinese nationals.
Pakistan, the current chair of the SCO Council of Heads of Government, will host the summit in Islamabad from Oct. 15-16 which is expected to feature participation from senior dignitaries from China, India and Russia. To bolster security ahead of the summit, Pakistan’s government has deployed the army in the capital till Oct. 17.
“With regards to the security around the conference that is a top priority of the government of Pakistan and measures are being taken to ensure the safety and security of all guests to come to Pakistan for the SCO Heads of Government meeting,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told reporters during a media briefing.
“We are ready to welcome all our distinguished guests and to make their visit and stay in Pakistan as comfortable as possible.”
Last week also saw clashes between police and former prime minister Imran Khan’s supporters in the Pakistani capital. Hundreds of Khan supporters arrived in Islamabad on Friday to protest against the government’s proposed constitutional amendments that his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party says are aimed at curtailing the independence of the judiciary. The government denies the allegations.
One constable was killed while 31 other cops were injured in clashes between Khan supporters and Islamabad Police over the weekend, while police said they arrested over 900 “miscreants” involved in the violent protests.
Baloch said Pakistan was expecting senior diplomats from member states to attend the summit, including representatives from the observer state of Mongolia and special guest Turkmenistan. The spokesperson said representatives of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Commonwealth of Independent States and the European Economic Community were also expected to attend the high-level summit.
“The SCO meeting will discuss cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, socio-cultural linkages, as well as reviewing the performance of the organization,” she said. Baloch said the world leaders present at the summit would adopt organizational decisions to further enhance cooperation among member states and improve the inter-governmental body’s budget.
Baloch spoke about the Oct. 4 Moscow Format consultations on Afghanistan, saying that Pakistan and other participating countries expressed deep concern over the country’s security situation.
“The Moscow Format countries noted the continued threat posed by terrorist and separatist groups to global and regional stability,” she said.
Baloch said Pakistan was led in the consultations by additional foreign secretary of Afghanistan and West Asia, Ambassador Ahmed Naseem Waraich.
“They [Moscow format countries] emphasized the need for Afghanistan to take comprehensive measures to combat terrorism and prevent its territory from being used against neighboring countries and the wider region,” she said.
