In a bid to ensure the smooth conduct of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, the government has announced a three-day public holiday in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
According to an official notification issued on Monday, all educational institutions and government offices in the twin cities will remain closed from October 14 to 16. The decision, approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, aims to facilitate the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting, scheduled for October 15-16 in Islamabad.
Leaders from across the Eurasian region, including the Russian and Chinese prime ministers, are expected to attend the high-profile two-day summit. Notably, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will also make a rare visit to Islamabad, marking the first trip by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years. The last such visit was by the late Sushma Swaraj in December 2015, which came just before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise stopover in Lahore.
The SCO, an influential Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance, was founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The organisation has expanded over the years, with India, Pakistan, and Iran now full members, while Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia hold observer status. The bloc is often seen as a regional counterbalance to Western alliances such as NATO, playing a pivotal role in fostering regional cooperation.
