Pakistan, Aug. 29 -- Leaders from Russia, China, Iran, India and Pakistan will gather in Kyrgyzstan for a major SCO summit. The two-day meeting will mark 25 years of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. The gathering comes as members face wars, sanctions and growing tensions with Western powers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected in Bishkek on Monday. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to join the main session chaired by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov.

The SCO includes Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, four Central Asian states and Belarus. The organisation also has 15 dialogue partners ...