ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has ordered authorities to accelerate the completion of hotels and upgrade hospitality facilities in Islamabad ahead of next year’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, as the capital prepares to host leaders from China, Russia, India and other member states.

Pakistan is scheduled to host the 10-member bloc’s Council of Heads of State summit in August 2027, its second major SCO gathering in three years. The government has announced several infrastructure projects in Islamabad, including a new convention center, cricket stadium and safari park, as part of preparations for the high-profile event.

“We have to make Islamabad fully ready for the SCO summit and ensure arrangements befitting the distinguished guests who will be arriving,” Naqvi said at a meeting to review progress on improving the capital’s hospitality sector, according to an official statement.

Naqvi directed officials to ensure that hotels currently under construction in Islamabad are completed as quickly as possible, while maintaining regular contact with hotel owners to resolve problems that could delay their opening.

He also called for the renovation of existing hotels and improvements in service standards, directing authorities to facilitate partnerships between local establishments and international hotel chains.

The meeting also reviewed plans to convert One Constitution Avenue, a high-rise complex in Islamabad, into an international-standard hotel, with Naqvi directing authorities to ensure construction begins on January 1.

The government is preparing a comprehensive plan for the conversion in consultation with an international hotel chain, according to the statement. Officials also agreed to develop an international standard shopping mall in an adjoining building.