Marriage halls, restaurants, and cafes in Rawalpindi and Islamabad will close for five days, from October 12 to 16, as part of security measures for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The summit, set for October 15-16 in Islamabad, will feature nine full members, including China, India, Iran, and Russia. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to arrive ahead of the meeting.
Authorities have warned traders and hotel owners that violations of the closure order will result in penalties. Additionally, a three-day public holiday has been declared from October 14 to 16 to facilitate the smooth conduct of the summit.
Pakistan has been a member of the SCO since June 2017, having previously held observer status from 2005 to 2017. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as the current chair of the Council of Heads of Government, will preside over the CHG meeting during the summit.
India's Minister for External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, will attend the summit in place of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though no bilateral meetings are scheduled during his visit to Pakistan.