PM to lead Pakistan’s delegation at SCO summit in Russia

ISLAMABAD, July 6. /TASS/. Pakistan’s Premier Navaz Sharif will take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Ufa, Russia, the country’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday. "Prime Minister Navaz Sharif will head Pakistan’s delegation at the SCO summit in Russia, planned for 9-10 July," the ministry said. "Sharif will also meet leaders of the SCO, BRICS and the Eurasian Customs Union." Sharif will also hold important bilateral talks as part of the summit, the ministry said. Russia, China and four ex-Soviet states in Central Asia - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - formed the SCO in 2001 as a regional security bloc to fight threats posed by radical Islam and drug trafficking from neighbouring Afghanistan. Last year, Pakistan and India, which have observer status in the organisation together with Mongolia, Iran and Afghanistan, submitted applications for full membership. The procedures of the two countries’ accession to the SCO will be launched at the summit in Ufa. Read more