India has invited Pakistan’s Chief Justice, Umar Atta Bandial, and Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, to attend meetings of a crucial regional forum with Russia and China as members.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which includes Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian States, is currently led by India. New Delhi will host a number of events as president of the SCO, including a conference of member states’ chief justices, a meeting of foreign ministers, and a summit in 2023.
Official sources confirmed to The Express Tribune on Monday that India shared the invitations for Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari with Pakistan. The meetings of the SCO’s chief justices and foreign ministers are scheduled for March and May, respectively.
However, it is unclear if the chief justice and foreign minister will attend both events or appoint a representative for Pakistan. According to sources, Pakistan has not yet responded to the invitation from India.
Pakistan is unlikely to stay out of the events because China and Russia are present, making the SCO an important forum.
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A few years ago, after Pakistan and India pledged not to undermine the work of the influential organization as a result of their bilateral disputes, they were both accepted as full members.
The SCO foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Goa, a popular tourist destination in South India.
It would be significant and the first high-profile visits from Pakistan in many years if the chief justice and foreign minister traveled to India for both events.
The likely visit will be used as an icebreaker, even if it doesn’t result in anything concrete for the two countries’ ties.
In August or September, India will also host the SCO summit, and Pakistan will almost certainly be invited. Pakistan will have a caretaker prime minister at the SCO summit if elections are held as planned in October. Therefore, the caretaker prime minister may not be authorized to discuss bilateral issues with the Indian leadership even if he travels to India.
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Nonetheless, if the visits take place, they may set the stage for some kind of interaction between the two nations. India is scheduled to host the One Day International Cricket World in October and November shortly after the SCO summit. Islamabad will be able to send men in green to the neighboring nation for the World Cup if Pakistani high-ranking officials make successful visits to the SCO summit.
For a number of years, tensions have persisted between Pakistan and India. When the two nations unexpectedly agreed to renew the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in February 2021, there were some hopes for a thaw.
According to new information, Pakistan and India were discussing the possibility of a summit meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan at the beginning of 2021.