Pakistan will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of Government meeting this October, as announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, during her weekly media briefing in Islamabad.
As the current holder of the rotating Chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government, Pakistan is set to organize this significant summit, which will be preceded by a Ministerial meeting and multiple rounds of senior officials’ meetings. These discussions will focus on enhancing financial, economic, socio-cultural, and humanitarian cooperation among SCO member states.
Baloch confirmed that Pakistan, in its capacity as Chair, will extend invitations to all heads of government from SCO member states for the in-person summit. She expressed optimism that all members will be represented.
Regarding the recent US State Department report on religious freedom, Baloch firmly rejected the assertions made about Pakistan, criticizing the report as biased and incomplete. She emphasized that Pakistan opposes such unilateral reports that interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states. Baloch stressed that Pakistan guarantees religious freedom under its constitution, supported by an independent judiciary.
On the arrest of prominent Kashmiri lawyer Mian Abdul Qayoom in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Baloch condemned the act as political vendetta and urged Indian authorities to release him along with other political prisoners. She reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to supporting Kashmiris in their struggle for self-determination.
Addressing the situation in Palestine, Baloch announced that Pakistan will allow medical students from Gaza to complete their education in Pakistan. This decision, directed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, aims to support Gaza’s healthcare system by enabling students to specialize in critical medical fields such as cardiology, orthopedics, oncology, pediatrics, and surgery.