Pakistani PM to visit Kazakhstan this week: foreign ministry

ISLAMABAD, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will pay an official visit to Kazakhstan on July 3-4 to attend the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Astana, Kazakhstan, the foreign ministry said on Monday.

At the SCO summit, Sharif will share Pakistan's perspective on important regional and global issues and underline the importance Pakistan accords to regional connectivity and cooperation with SCO member countries, a foreign ministry statement said.

The Pakistani prime minister would also address the SCO Plus Summit that brings together SCO member states as well as invited dialogue partners, observer states, and international organizations.

"He will share Pakistan's perspective on important regional and global issues and underline the importance of strengthening the organization for the benefit of the peoples of the SCO region," said the ministry's statement.

Sharif, who will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other senior members of the federal cabinet and senior government officials, will also hold meetings with participating leaders on the sidelines of the SCO summit.