Islamabad: Pakistan has formally extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, scheduled to be held in Islamabad in mid-October. The announcement was made by Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, during her weekly press briefing.
“An invitation has also been sent to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi,” Baloch confirmed, adding that several countries had already indicated their participation in the summit. However, she noted that the list of confirmed attendees would be disclosed in due course.
The SCO heads of government meeting, set to take place on October 15-16, will focus on enhancing financial, economic, socio-cultural, and humanitarian cooperation among the member states. The event will be preceded by a series of ministerial meetings and senior officials’ discussions.
Despite the formal invitation, analysts believe it is unlikely that PM Modi will attend the summit in person, given the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. “Extending invitations to PM Modi and all other member states is a standard protocol that any host country follows. Pakistan has done the same,” said political analyst Kamran Yousaf. He further added, “I do not see this as a political stunt. However, I do not see PM Modi landing in Islamabad.”
In previous instances, India has often been represented by ministers rather than the Prime Minister at SCO heads of government meetings. This pattern is expected to continue, with PM Modi likely to deputize a ministerial delegation for the summit. Earlier this year, India was represented by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the SCO’s 24th annual summit of heads of state in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 3-4.
The invitation comes in the context of Pakistan’s ongoing role in hosting international events and diplomatic engagements, despite the challenging relations with India. Last year, Pakistan’s then-Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting, underscoring the complex dynamics within the organization.
As the date of the summit approaches, all eyes will be on India’s response to the invitation and the potential implications for regional diplomacy within the SCO framework.
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