Pakistan Prepares for Upcoming SCO Summit Amidst Uncertainty Over India's Participation

Pakistan began preparatory ministerial meetings for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit but remains uncertain about India's participation level. The summit, scheduled for October 15-16, will see leaders from SCO member nations attending, with key questions about Prime Minister Modi's attendance still unresolved.

As ministerial meetings commenced in Islamabad on Thursday to gear up for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit next month, Pakistan expressed uncertainty regarding India's mode and level of participation in the heads of state conference.

The SCO summit, set for October 15-16, has seen formal invitations sent out to all leaders of member nations, confirmed Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch at a weekly press briefing.

She noted that the 23rd Meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Economic and Foreign Trade Activity of SCO members had started in Islamabad. The event followed the Commission of Senior Officials' meeting on September 10-11, aimed at negotiating documents for adoption by members responsible for Foreign Economic and Trade Activities.

"The two-day Ministerial Meeting is a regular annual mechanism of SCO and will make important contributions in the lead-up to the Head of State Meeting in Islamabad," she explained.

As preparations for the massive event kicked off, queries emerged about whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend in person or virtually.

In response, Baloch stated that the Prime Minister of Pakistan had extended invitations to all SCO member states' Heads of government. "At this point, I'm not aware of any communication from the Indian government regarding their representation," she added.

She also mentioned that India's Vice Minister of Commerce and Industry was participating virtually in the 23rd Meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Economic and Foreign Trade Activity of SCO members, alongside representatives from Kazakhstan. In-person attendees included officials from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Iran, Kyrgyz Republic, China, and Russia.

Baloch highlighted that the SCO's role is crucial for regional development and security, and Pakistan remains committed to working within its context to achieve regional prosperity.

Additionally, the spokesperson revealed that Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), arrived in Pakistan for a three-day visit, marking the first-ever visit by an IMO Secretary-General to Pakistan.

During his stay, Velasco will meet Pakistan's leadership and high-ranking government officials in Islamabad and Karachi. Pakistan, currently holding the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government, will host the two-day in-person SCO Heads of Government meeting in October.

With nine member states including India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, the Beijing-based SCO has become a potent economic and security bloc as well as one of the largest trans-regional organizations. Belarus recently became its 10th member.

(With inputs from agencies.)