Pakistan extends invitation to Indian PM Modi for SCO meeting

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Islamabad, according to well-informed sources.

The meeting is scheduled for October 15-16 in Islamabad. As the host nation, Pakistan has invited PM Modi and other member states to participate in the event.

Both India and Pakistan are full members of the SCO, a group led by Russia and China. However, India remains cautious about the group’s anti-Western stance and has consistently refrained from endorsing China’s Belt and Road Initiative in SCO joint statements.

Despite these differences, the SCO remains the only multilateral platform where India and Pakistan cooperate.

Last year, Pakistan’s then-Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India for an SCO foreign ministers’ meeting.

One reason for the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in SCO meetings is the SCO charter, which prohibits member states from raising bilateral issues.

In preparation for the upcoming meeting, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Muhammad Ali Randhawa, reviewed the ongoing renovation work at the Jinnah Convention Center on Saturday.

The renovation, overseen by expert architects, aims to upgrade the center to international standards. The project includes refurbishing the main hall, committee rooms, flooring, painting, glass work, and upgrading furniture and carpets.

The Chairman was briefed on the progress, which is being carried out around the clock.