ISLAMABAD: Authorities were preparing on Sunday to shut down the capital ahead of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, overshadowed by recent militant violence and political unrest.
The Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang will be among senior regional government officials attending the two-day conference on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In the weeks leading up to the summit, the authorities arrested hundreds of supporters of jailed opposition leader Imran Khan who attempted to march in Islamabad this month.
Pakistan’s domestic concerns are likely to dominate the sidelines of the summit, however.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) threatened to stage protests, a week after scattered demonstrations by supporters saw the capital locked down for three days, with mobile phone signal cut and exit and entry points blocked.
“The PTI doesn’t want to showcase the positive side of Pakistan to the world,” accused planning minister Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary during a news conference Saturday.
“Instead, they aim to present a picture of the country filled with tear gas and unrest.”
Authorities have declared a three-day public holiday for Islamabad and the neighbouring city of Rawalpindi starting Monday, along with road closures to reduce movement around the area.
The “red zone” government quarter hosting the summit has meanwhile been spruced up with manicured lawns ringed by razor wire.
“Islamabad is one of the safest cities that we have... extraordinary security arrangements have been made with regard to this summit,” information minister Attaullah Tarar told reporters in Islamabad on Sunday.
“Pakistan is opening up to the world... it will prove to be a very successful summit,” Tarar said.
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