SCO Summit: Pakistan’s Defense Minister and Foreign Minister will come to India! Shahbaz government is considering seriously
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SCO Summit: Pakistan’s stubbornness on the Kashmir issue is now loosening. According to Pakistani media, there is a possibility that Pakistan’s Defense Minister and Foreign Minister may go to India. It is being told that Pakistan’s participation in the meeting of SCO’s National Security Advisors to be held on March 29 is most likely to be virtual. At the same time, last week the Central Government told the Lok Sabha that the Foreign Ministers of China and Pakistan have not yet confirmed their participation in the meeting to be held on May 4-5.
Pakistan took this decision
At the same time, Pakistan has in principle decided to participate in the three major upcoming meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to be organized by India. However, experts related to this matter say that the level and manner of participation has not been finalized yet. India to hold meeting of SCO’s National Security Advisors (NSAs) and top national security officials in New Delhi on March 29, Defense Ministers in the national capital during April 27-29 and Foreign Ministers in Goa during May 4-5 ready for. At the same time, these meetings will conclude in the SCO summit to be held in July. India will host the event for the first time after joining the group in 2017.
Mode of participation not decided yet
According to media reports, the Pakistani side is keen to ensure its full participation in the important deliberations of the SCO, despite the strain in bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. It is being told that a decision has been taken in principle to participate in all these upcoming meetings. However, the mode of participation is yet to be decided. Quoting sources in the media report, it is being told that a decision is yet to be taken whether Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari or Minister of State for External Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar will attend the foreign ministers’ meeting.
The post of NSA is currently vacant in Pakistan.
The meeting of the SCO NSA is expected to be represented by a senior official from Pakistan’s Ministry of Defense or National Security Council, as the post of NSA is currently vacant. Moid Yusuf held office between May 2021 and April 2022 when Imran Khan was the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Later Imran Khan had to leave the post of Prime Minister. At the same time, the Shahbaz Sharif government has not yet appointed a new NSA. The meeting is expected to focus on the situation in Afghanistan, combating terrorism, extremism and transnational crimes and misuse of emerging technologies such as drones and crypto-currency by terrorists.
India invited all the member countries of SCO
India has already invited all SCO member countries China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for the upcoming meetings. Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, while replying to a question in the Lok Sabha last week, said that the Foreign Ministers of China and Pakistan have not yet confirmed their participation in the meeting to be held on May 4-5. The issue of Pakistan’s participation in SCO meetings was embroiled in controversy recently, when India objected to the use of maps depicting the country’s borders, particularly for Kashmir, at several gatherings. These maps were used in formal presentations by Pakistani officials. Pakistan was not able to participate in a conference of military medical experts under the SCO framework in New Delhi on March 21 due to differences on the issue.
Shahbaz government is thinking seriously
Amidst all this, the Pakistani newspaper said that the Shehbaz Sharif government is seriously considering India’s invitation. It has been said in the report that both China and Russia are included in the SCO. In such a situation, Pakistan is afraid that if they do not participate in this important forum, then India can take advantage of it. The SCO summit is going to be held in India in the month of June, in which Shahbaz Sharif will also be invited to attend.
Pakistan’s participation should be welcomed
India’s former envoy to Pakistan and Canada Ajay Bisaria said Pakistan’s participation in all SCO meetings should be welcomed, though the focus should be on multilateral issues. He said, Pakistan should come to these multilateral meetings and follow the mantra of talking on multilateral issues leaving bilateral issues at the door. This process will help build confidence for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), where we can engage multilaterally, Bisaria said.
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