Pakistan capital city turns into fortress ahead of SCO summit

New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming October 15-16 SCO summit, in a bizarre statement Pakistan has accused India of backing Imran Khan-led PTI to disrupt the meeting in Islamabad.

A senior Pakistani minister on Saturday night alleged that forces were trying to tarnish Pakistan's image. "The scriptwriter is the same who, on the one hand, is using terrorists to carry out explosive attacks and, on the other, is using PTI to spread anarchy and undermine Pakistan's vital interests," planning minister Ahsan Iqbal said.

Speaking at a press conference, Iqbal criticised the timing of the protest that coincides with the SCO summit.


Pakistani authorities are planning to shut down Islamabad ahead of the summit. Besides PTI's scheduled protests on October 15, Pakistan has recently witnessed numerous terror attacks. Authorities have declared a three-day public holiday for Islamabad and the neighbouring Rawalpindi starting Monday.

The SCO meeting comes at a time of heightened security concerns in Pakistan. The government in Pakistan's Punjab province has imposed Section 144 in five more districts, banning all political assemblies, gatherings and protests.