ISLAMABAD: Prime Min­i­ster Shehbaz Sharif will participate in a virtual meeting of the Shanghai Co­operation Organisation (SCO) on July 4, the Foreign Office announced on Friday.

In a statement, it said that PM Sharif’s participation in the summit illustrates the high importance that Pakis­tan attaches to the SCO, whi­ch is an important forum for regional security, prosperity, and enhanced enga­ge­ment with the region.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will participate in the 23rd Meeting of SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) being held in video conference format on 4th July 2023,” it said.
The invitation to the prime minister to attend the SCO-CHS was extended by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in his capacity as the current Chair of the SCO.

“At the summit, the leaders will deliberate on important global and regional issues and chart the future direction of cooperation among SCO member states. This year, the SCO-CHS will also welcome Iran as a new member of the organisation,” the statement said.

Shehbaz, Gen Asim celebrate Eid with jawans at border; FC salaries raised

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.

India assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO at the Samarkand Su­m­mit on September 16 last year. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India announced in May that the annual summit of the SCO will be hosted in the virtual format on July 4.

PM, COAS celebrate Eid at border

PM Shehbaz and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir celebrated Eidul Azha at the border and spent the day with army jawans in Parachinar along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The PM and COAS offe­red the Eid prayer along with army officers and jawans and later exchanged Eid greetings.

PM Sharif reached Para­chinar along with COAS Gen Munir and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.

The PM praised the army for its high resolve, operational preparedness and professional standards.

During the meeting with the officers and jawans, the PM said he, along with the army chief, was spending the Eid with them to pay tribute to their efforts and passion for defending the borders of the motherland with bravery and courage.

He said the officers and jawans of Pakistan’s armed forces leave their personal comfort to perform the sacred obligation of the protection, defence and security of the country.

They bear the hardships of weather and difficult conditions, face all kinds of challenges and problems and guard the borders of the motherland, and for that endeavour, the nation saluted them, he added.

He said the officers and jawans individually and collectively gave priority to the security of the country whether it was any happy occasion or festival including Eid or an occasion of grief, and the nation saluted them for this fervour.

He said today he was paying tribute to the officers and jawans of Pakistan army, air force and navy for their services as they were fulfilling the sacred duty of security of borders of the country with iron determination despite the immense obstacles.

The prime minister felicitated the whole nation, including the officers and jawans of armed forces, on the occasion of Eid.

He reaffirmed the resolve that there would be no place to hide for those who destroyed peace, perpetrated terrorism, or abetted or facilitated acts of terror.

The Pakistaniat of the Pakistani nation failed the nefarious designs of the forces who were causing chaos and mayhem in the country, he said, adding that the forces, who wanted to create divisions and fissures in the nation for their evil agenda, were defeated.

He said martyrs were the pride and precious asset of Pakistan and its nation and their honour and dignity were above everything else.

The prime minister laid a wreath at the monument of the martyrs and offered Fateha.

On this occasion, Commander 11 Corps and high-level officers of the provincial government were also present.

FC gets salary raise

During the visit, the premier announced an increase in the salaries of officers and jawans of the Frontier Corps and brought it on par with the armed forces.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2023