ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will interact with world leaders today, Sunday, as the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit kicks off in Tianjin with several world leaders expected to attend.
More than 20 foreign leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, will attend the regional security bloc’s largest meeting since it was founded, China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin said this week.
The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners.” China has long sought to present the SCO as a counterweight to Western-led power blocs and has pushed for greater collaboration between its member states.
A statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said Sharif was expected to address students at Tianjin University, which would be broadcast by the state-run media.
“The prime minister will also hold a bilateral meeting today with the esteemed President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,” the PMO said. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the reception of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit this evening in Tianjin.”
