Pakistan explains purchase of 45 armored vehicles for SCO summit — Dawn

In Pakistan, the government justified its decision to purchase 45 armored vehicles for the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, scheduled to take place in Islamabad in August–September 2027. As Dawn reports, the authorities said there was a need to ensure the highest possible level of protection during the meeting.

Government position

Pakistan’s Cabinet Division said that critical comments in the media and on social networks regarding the purchase fail to take its context into account. The agency described the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting as one of the highest-level international events and noted that it would be attended by heads of state and government, as well as representatives of international organisations.

According to the agency’s statement, such an event requires secure, reliable logistics and compliance with standard security protocols during visits by senior officials. The authorities also referred to the security situation in the country and threats from “hostile external elements”.

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Existing vehicle fleet

According to the Cabinet Division, the newest armored vehicles at the agency’s disposal are 2016 models, which, in its assessment, fall significantly short of the standards required for the summit. The number of 45 vehicles, the government said, was determined as the minimum necessary after discussions at several levels.

The authorities also plan to rent about 300 non-armored vehicles for the event. Earlier, reports about the planned purchase, whose cost was estimated at billions, drew criticism.