Govt orders army deployment for SCO summit security in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has issued a notification for the deployment of the army from October 5 to 17 as part of security for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad.

The deployment, sanctioned under Article 245 of the Constitution, was approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The notification confirmed that the army will be deployed in the federal capital during the SCO summit to ensure security.

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Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had earlier indicated for the need for army deployment in the capital. He stated, “We must deploy the Pakistan Army and paramilitary forces starting October 5 to ensure foolproof security.”

Naqvi had also urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to postpone its planned protest in Islamabad, emphasizing that heads of state are visiting Pakistan for the first time in many years. “We must prioritize national interests over political interests during this important event,” he added.

He had also announced that a local holiday would be declared in Islamabad during the SCO conference, with a formal notification to follow.