ISLAMABAD: Marriage halls, restaurants, and cafes will be closed for five days in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, as per officials.
The decision to close them from October 12 to 16 was made due to security measures being implemented ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, scheduled for October 15-16.
Media reports say the SCO meeting, which has nine full members including China, India, Iran, and Russia, is set to take place in Islamabad. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to arrive in the city before the meeting.
Police have also sent notices to shopkeepers and hotel owners, warning that any rule-breaking will result in fines. The government has already announced a three-day public holiday, from October 14 to 16, in the twin cities to ensure the smooth conduct of the SCO summit.
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Pakistan became a member of the SCO in June 2017, after holding the status of SCO Observer State from 2005 to 2017. While Pakistan’s membership in the SCO is relatively recent, its ties with SCO Member States are longstanding, according to the Foreign Office.
In his role as the current chair of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG), the second-highest decision-making body of the SCO, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the upcoming CHG meeting.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office confirmed that Minister for External Affairs of India S. Jaishankar will participate in the summit instead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, no bilateral meetings are planned during his visit to the neighboring country.
