As Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Pakistan on Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed optimism that the Chinese leader’s four-day bilateral visit would be “productive.”
During his stay, Premier Li will participate in the highly anticipated 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG), scheduled for October 15 and 16, under tight security measures.
The government has declared a three-day public holiday in Islamabad, resulting in the closure of schools and businesses, while large numbers of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed.
This visit marks the first by a Chinese premier in 11 years, with the last visit having been made by Li Keqiang in May 2013.
