ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with other leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), for the upcoming Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting scheduled for October 15-16 in Islamabad.

The invitation follows Pakistan’s rotation into the chairmanship of the CHG, the SCO’s second-highest decision-making body.

According to Foreign Office, “Pakistan has sent a formal invite to Indian PM Modi to attend the SCO Heads of Governments meeting in Islamabad scheduled to be held on Oct 15th and Oct 16th, the invite was sent by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself.”

Arrangements of SCO-CHG moot reviewed

However, according to reports, it is unlikely that Modi would travel to Islamabad due to strained relations between India and Pakistan. Modi is likely to delegate a minister to represent India, as has been done in the past, the report added.

Traditionally, India has sent a minister to represent the country at CHG meetings. Last year, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar attended the CHG meeting in Bishkek.

Both Pakistan and India are full members of the SCO, a group led by Russia and China.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024