Pakistan invites Prime Minister Modi to SCO meeting in Islamabad

Pakistan has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, scheduled to be held in Islamabad on October 15-16, The Dawn reported.

This event, hosted by Pakistan, will bring together the heads of government from SCO member states to discuss key issues in financial, economic, socio-cultural, and humanitarian cooperation. A ministerial meeting and several rounds of discussions among senior officials will precede the gathering.

The invitation to Modi comes amidst longstanding tensions between Pakistan and India, particularly over issues such as Kashmir and bilateral trade. The Foreign Office confirmed that invitations have been sent to the leaders of all SCO member countries, with some already confirming their participation.

However, it remains to be seen whether India will accept the invitation, given the current state of relations between the two neighbours.

Pakistan's Foreign Office has emphasised that while the country does not have direct bilateral trade with India, it remains committed to engaging in multilateral platforms like the SCO to address regional and global issues.

The Foreign Office also highlighted Pakistan's ongoing participation in international forums, with the foreign secretary currently attending the 50th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

At this session, Pakistan's representative is expected to present the country's stance on several pressing issues, including the situations in Gaza and Jammu and Kashmir, as well as terrorism and other global challenges.