Officials announced on Thursday that marriage halls, restaurants, and cafes in Rawalpindi and Islamabad will be shut down for five days due to heightened security measures for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The closures will take place from October 12 to 16 to ensure safety during the high-profile event.
The SCO summit, scheduled for October 15-16 in Islamabad, will bring together representatives from nine member nations, including China, India, Iran, and Russia. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to arrive ahead of the event, making security a top priority for local authorities.
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In preparation, police have issued strict notices to traders and hotel owners in the twin cities, warning of penalties for any violations during the summit period. The government has also declared a three-day public holiday, from October 14 to 16, to facilitate the smooth conduct of the summit.
Pakistan has been a member of the SCO since June 2017, following its status as an observer state from 2005. As the current chair of the SCO’s Council of Heads of Government (CHG), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the meeting, which is the second most important decision-making body of the SCO.
India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, will represent India at the summit, while no bilateral meetings between the neighboring countries are scheduled during the event.
