Pakistan will be hosting the twenty-third meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Tuesday and Wednesday in Islamabad.

According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the upcoming SCO Council of the Heads of Government meeting in his capacity as the current chair.

The SCO member states will be represented by the Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as the First Vice President of Iran and the External Affairs Minister of India.

The Prime Minister of Mongolia, an observer state, and the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, a special guest, will also participate in the meeting.

The Prime Minister will also hold important bilateral meetings with visiting heads of delegations on the sidelines of the meeting.

The SCO Council of the Heads of Government meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, and socio-cultural linkages, and review the performance of the organization.

The leaders will adopt important organizational decisions to further enhance cooperation among SCO member states and approve the budget of the organization.