Pakistan by India Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Islamabad Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has sent an invitation to participate in the summit meeting, but no official response has come from New Delhi.
Both South Asian neighbors – Pakistan and India – are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the organization’s summit is scheduled to be held in Islamabad on October 15 and 16.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokesperson of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in the weekly news briefing on Thursday that invitations have been sent to the heads of state of all the member countries of the organization, including the Prime Minister of India.
“We are not in a position to say what response has come from them (countries) at this time.”
The two nuclear powers of South Asia, Pakistan and India, have been facing each other over the issue of Kashmir in the region, which both countries claim.
In August 2019, India revoked the semi-autonomous status of Kashmir and imposed strict restrictions there.
Following this unilateral move by Pakistan, Islamabad downgraded diplomatic relations with New Delhi and suspended bilateral trade.
Pakistan has been saying that to restore relations, India will first have to withdraw its decisions in Kashmir.
On the other hand, on the recent security incidents in Balochistan, the Pakistani interior minister said that the Balochistan incident was planned to spoil the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi while addressing the Senate on Friday said that the Balochistan incident was not an ordinary incident and ‘it was not done by just one body (organisation) but by a couple of terrorist organizations together.’
“In October we are hosting (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) and a lot of people are worried that it won’t happen and it’s a conspiracy against it as well.”
Dr. Zafar Jaspal, an international affairs analyst and Professor of International Relations at Quaid-e-Azam University, told Independent Urdu regarding the SCO meeting that the invitation is to participate in a regional forum, so it is expected that “The relationship between the two countries will melt, it will not be right.”
He said that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is the largest organization in the Eurasia region and its role is also key in counter-terrorism efforts in the region.
I think the Indian Prime Minister may not come to Islamabad himself, but he may send one of his representatives here.
‘However, this invitation is not bilateral.’
According to Dr. Zafar Jaspal, the SCO Summit is being held in Pakistan for the first time, ‘so it is very important for Islamabad.’
What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was founded in 2001 by China and Russia, and now includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India and Iran as members.
As India and China, the two largest countries in terms of population, are members of this organization, this organization is a forum for 40% of the world’s total population.
Pakistan was an observer member of the organization from 2005 to 2017, and then officially joined the SCO in July 2017.
What is being said about it now on the Indian government or the media?
According to Indian media, no statement has been made by New Delhi on the formal invitation sent by Pakistan. Last year, when India hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif participated in it through a video link.
Earlier, speculations were rife that India had rejected the invitation to participate in the SCO meeting. Regarding this, the Indian Express quoted a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs as saying, “We have seen that many outlets (Institutions) are running news that the Prime Minister (Modi) will not attend the SCO meeting in Pakistan. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has not commented on this matter and (we) request to refrain from speculative news in this regard.’
Analyst Qamar Cheema says that Pakistan wants to improve its relations with India and according to him, taking advantage of this opportunity, the Indian Prime Minister coming to Pakistan is a good opportunity for Modi to connect the relations between the two countries once again. But apparently they (SCO) are ignoring the summit. He also sent Foreign Minister Jaishankar to Astana, Kazakhstan
“Last year when India was hosting, they made the meeting virtual (online) because they don’t want the summit to be given importance because the mutual relations between India and China are also bad.”
Qamar Cheema said that it seems very difficult for Narendra Modi to come and even if he attends, he will do it online. If he considered it very important, he might send External Affairs Minister Jaishankar.’
Recent exchange of messages between Indian and Pakistani political leaders
On June 10 this month, former Prime Minister of Pakistan and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif congratulated Narendra Modi for becoming the Prime Minister for the third time and said that ‘we need to replace hatred with hope’.
Nawaz Sharif wrote in a message to Modi on the social media platform ‘X’ that ‘I congratulate Modi ji on becoming the Prime Minister for the third time.
“The success of your (Narendra Modi) party in the recent elections shows the confidence of the people in your leadership.”
In his message, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, promoting peace and mutual cooperation in South Asia, wrote that ‘We should replace hatred with hope and use this opportunity to build the future of the two billion people of South Asia. It should be taken advantage of.’
This section contains related reference points (Related Nodes field).
On this, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has responded to Nawaz Sharif’s statement and said that he (Nawaz Sharif) appreciates your message.
The people of India have always been supporters of peace, security and progressive ideas. Advancing the welfare and security of our people will always be our priority.’
Narendra Modi was sworn in as the Prime Minister of India for the third time on June 9.
Before Nawaz Sharif, his brother and Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif also congratulated Modi on becoming the Prime Minister.
In response to Shahbaz Sharif’s congratulatory message on X, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also thanked Shehbaz Sharif on X.
History of strained relations between Pakistan and India
Relations between Pakistan and India have been strained and there have been wars between the two nuclear-powered neighbors in South Asia. However, from time to time it has been said by Pakistan that peaceful and good relations between the neighboring countries are necessary for the development of South Asia, a region with a quarter of the world’s population.
A major cause of tension in Pakistan-India relations is the Kashmir issue, one part of which is administered by Pakistan and the other by India.
Pakistan wants the solution of the Kashmir issue according to the wishes of the people there and the resolutions of the United Nations, while India considers it a part of its country and has annexed it through Article 370 in August 2019.
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2024-08-30 11:29:11
