[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]ISLAMABAD: India has asked Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) conference in April in New Delhi.
According to diplomatic sources, the Indian government conveyed the formal invitation with the Foreign Office on Tuesday. The SCO, which includes Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian states, is now led by India.
As President of the SCO, New Delhi will host a number of events.
India has previously invited Pakistan’s Chief Justice, Umar Ata Bandial, as well as shared an invitation to the SCO conference of foreign ministers.
The chief justice, on the other hand, skipped the SCO chief justices’ meeting, and instead Justice Muneeb Akhtar attended the meeting via video link recently. The foreign ministers will meet in Goa in May, while the defence ministers will convene in New Delhi in April.
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The government has yet to decide if Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Defense Minister Khawaja Asif will attend the sessions in India. The Foreign Office has stated that the decision will be made when the time is right.
India will also host the SCO summit later this year, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will almost certainly be invited. It is unclear whether Pakistan will participate in those high-profile gatherings.
It is vital to note that while the SCO is an important platform because of the involvement of China and Russia, Pakistan is unlikely to stay out of the proceedings.
Pakistan and India were both admitted as full members of the important organisation a few years ago after promising not to impede the SCO’s functioning due to bilateral issues.
Relations between Pakistan and India have been strained for many years now. When the two countries unexpectedly agreed to prolong the truce along the Line of Control in February 2021, there was some hope for a thaw (LoC).
Both countries were planning to resume some of the trade that had been halted after India lost the disputed territory’s special status in August 2019. Nevertheless, fearing popular outcry, Imran Khan’s government reversed its decision.
According to new information, Pakistan and India were exploring the potential of a summit meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then-Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan in early 2021.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
