New Delhi:India as the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has extended an invitation to Pakistan and China for a slew of SCO ministerial meetings which includes the SCO defense ministers meeting which is scheduled to take place on 27th April and the national security advisors meeting slated to take place on 29th March.
Sources familiar with the development said that the invitation has been sent to all members including China and Pakistan and it is as per the standard protocol.
On Tuesday, Pakistan attended the SCO Chief Justice meeting virtually hosted by New Delhi. Islamabad was represented by Justice Munib Akhtar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, as Pakistan Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial skipped the meeting.
Now Pakistan is yet to decide whether to accept India's invitation or not for the slew of SCO ministerial meetings. The SCO is made up of Eurasian member-states which include Russia, India, China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The grouping is aimed at enhancing regional cooperation in all areas including defense, environment, national security, energy, and transport. Most importantly, with Iran becoming a member of SCO under India's Presidency, the strategic importance of the regional bloc has increased even more.
India as the chair of the grouping will hold several meetings this year and the main summit on June 25. Moreover, India has already extended invitations to all the member states including Pakistan for the SCO foreign ministers meeting slated to be held on 4-5 May in Goa.
Uzbekistan handed over the rotating Presidency of the SCO to India in Samarkand in September last year, India assumes the chairship of SCO for 2023.
