Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced that Pakistan will host the next summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), directing authorities to immediately begin preparations for the high-profile event.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after the SCO summit in Tianjin, China, where Pakistan raised the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty. The meeting also saw a joint declaration condemning recent terrorist attacks on the Jaffar Express, Khuzdar and Pahalgam.
Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad, the premier emphasized the need for early arrangements.
“We have to start preparing now,” he said. “We need to build accommodation and beautify Islamabad. Tajikistan gifted us saplings, and the CDA is working day and night to plant them.”
Pakistan last hosted an SCO event in 2024, when the Council of Heads of Government summit was held in Islamabad under strict security. A three-day public holiday was declared at the time, with several businesses and key routes in Islamabad and Rawalpindi closed.
T-Chowk Flyover Foundation Laid
The prime minister was speaking at a ceremony to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the T-Chowk flyover, a one-kilometre project aimed at easing traffic congestion in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and adjoining areas.
“This project will be a milestone for traffic relief,” he said, lauding the efforts of the interior ministry and CDA. “We must set new benchmarks for work quality and adherence to timelines. There must be no compromise on standards.”
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Islamabad–Rawalpindi Rail Project Planned
PM Shehbaz also revealed that the federal government is working on a new rail link between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
“I was informed by Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi that a rail car service is being planned,” he said. “With the metro bus, CDA’s electric vehicles, and the upcoming rail project, public transport will improve significantly for residents and commuters from surrounding areas.”
He directed authorities to expedite planning, assuring them of the federal government’s full support.
