Chinese Premier Li Qiang is scheduled to visit Islamabad to attend the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to be held in Islamabad from October 15 to 16.
During the visit, Li Qiang would also hold meetings with Pakistan’s civil and military leadership.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Premier Li Qiang will lead their respective delegations during comprehensive discussions on all aspects of Pakistan-China relations including economic and trade ties and cooperation under CPEC.
The Chinese Premier will also call on President Asif Ali Zardari and hold meetings with parliamentary leaders and senior military leadership of Pakistan.
The Chinese premier will be accompanied by Ministers and senior officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission and the China International Development Cooperation Agency.

Pakistan and China to advance ‘high-quality’ CPEC development during Chinese PM’s visit
Islamabad and Beijing will discuss important trade and economic matters, and advance “high-quality development” of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) during Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang’s visit to the country next week.
“It will be an occasion for the two sides to reaffirm mutual support on issues of core interest; advance high-quality development of CPEC; and reinforce regular exchanges on important regional and global developments,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.
CPEC is a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which involves the development of a massive transport, energy, and infrastructure network in Pakistan to link its deep-sea ports to Chinese cities.
Chinese premier may inaugurate $200 million Gwadar International Airport
During his visit, Chinese Premier Li Qiang could also inaugurate operations at the Beijing-funded $200 million Gwadar International Airport in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, Pakistani information minister Attaullah Tarar told reporters on Sunday.
The new airport will handle domestic and international flights, according to Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority, and will be one of the country’s biggest airports.
SCO summit in Islamabad
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will be among senior regional government officials attending the two-day conference on October 15 and 16, 2024.
Pakistan’s government has declared a three-day public holiday for Islamabad and the neighboring city of Rawalpindi from Monday to Wednesday (October 14-16), along with road closures to reduce movement around the area ahead of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has announced a detailed traffic management plan ahead of the SCO summit to ensure the smooth movement of vehicles during the event. The “red zone”, which houses the key government buildings, has been enhanced with neatly trimmed lawns bordered by razor wire.
The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus — with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners.”
