ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif leaves for a two-day visit to Beijing on Monday.

In a statement, the Foreign Office said that the foreign minister would attend a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

The council will discuss issues related to peace and security at the international and regional level and promotion of cooperation between member states.

The meeting will finalise preparations for the forthcoming SCO Heads of State Council in Qingdao.

The foreign minister will also meet his counterparts at the Council of Foreign Ministers, including Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan will also leave for Beijing on Monday to lead a Pakistani delegation at the meeting of defence ministers of the SCO member states.

The meeting has already started. The minister will also hold a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe and discuss ways and means to further enhance defence cooperation between the two countries.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2018