ISLAMABAD – Ice breaks between Pakistan and India over tense military tiesat borders.
The Indian External Affairs Ministry (EAM) confirmed Thursday it willextend an invitation to Prime Minister Imran Khan for the ShanghaiCooperation Organisation.The news—which had been reported a few days ago by Indian media—wasconfirmed by EAM spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.
Speaking to media, he said all eight SCO members states will be invited inaccordance with the established procedure.
India will be hosting the council of heads of government meeting in thesecond half of this year.
The development is significant considering the tensions between Islamabadand New Delhi which reached an all-time high last year after India scrappedArticle 370 that recognised occupied Kashmir as a special territory.
“As per the established practice and procedure within the SCO, all eightmembers of the SCO, as well as four observer states and other internationaldialogue partners will be invited to attend the meeting,” he said.
Read Top Stories
“The meeting is held annually at the prime minister’s level and itdiscusses the SCO’s program and multilateral economic and tradeco-operation,” he added.
Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan arethe founding members of the SCO. The association has become a significantgroup of countries with emerging economies.
India will host the event during the second half of 2020.India and Pakistan both became members of the organisation in 2017. This isthe first time New Delhi will host the event.
