Pakistan has extended an invitation to indian Prime minister Narendra Modi to attend the shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) heads of government meeting scheduled for october, according to a statement from the Foreign Office. During a press briefing on Thursday, Foreign office Spokesperson mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed that invitations have been sent to various country leaders for the event, which will occur on october 15-16.
Baloch noted that some countries have already confirmed their participation, though specific confirmations will be announced later.
The relationship between Islamabad and New delhi has been historically tense, primarily due to the kashmir conflict and issues related to cross-border terrorism. india has expressed a desire for normal relations with pakistan, emphasizing that it is up to Islamabad to create a conducive environment free of terrorism and hostility for such engagement.
The SCO Summit will be preceded by ministerial and senior officials' meetings focused on financial, economic, socio-cultural, and humanitarian cooperation among member states. The SCO, which includes india, China, Russia, pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, is a significant economic and security bloc, representing one of the largest transregional international organizations.
Regarding bilateral trade, Baloch mentioned that pakistan does not have direct trade relations with India. The diplomatic relationship between the two countries was downgraded following India’s suspension of article 370 on august 5, 2019, which pakistan viewed as a move that hindered the prospects for meaningful dialogue.
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