Pakistan announced on Thursday that it will host the SCO Heads of Government meeting in October this year, marking its role as the rotating Chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG). The Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed during a weekly press briefing that the summit will convene in person, with invitations extended to all Heads of Government from SCO member states.
The upcoming summit will be preceded by ministerial meetings and various rounds of senior officials’ discussions. These sessions will focus on enhancing financial, economic, socio-cultural, and humanitarian cooperation among SCO members.
Addressing queries on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India would be invited to attend the summit in Pakistan, Baloch emphasized, “The chairmanship belongs to Pakistan, and as the chair, we will extend invitations to all Heads of Government of SCO member states.”
Pakistan reiterated its stance of not aligning with any international bloc, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining positive relations with all nations based on mutual respect, confidence, and non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs.
Regarding recent reports on religious freedom by the US Department of State, Pakistan rejected what it termed as baseless assertions about its internal religious policies. Baloch criticized unilateral reports assessing human rights situations of sovereign states, arguing they often carry political biases and present incomplete perspectives.
During Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Tajikistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement focusing on political, trade, investment, energy, connectivity, security, defense, and people-to-people contacts. Baloch highlighted that this agreement would involve structured high-level dialogues at leadership and Foreign Ministers’ levels.
Regarding recent international reports on Pakistani political figures, including Prime Minister Imran Khan, Baloch criticized what she described as unwarranted and biased assessments lacking objectivity about Pakistan’s legal and judicial systems.
In conclusion, Baloch affirmed Pakistan’s commitment to upholding religious freedoms as guaranteed by its constitution and reiterated the country’s position that states hold primary responsibility for protecting these rights domestically.
The SCO Summit in October is expected to provide a platform for member states to strengthen cooperation across various sectors amidst regional and global challenges.
