Pakistan Invites PM Modi to SCO Summit Amid Ongoing Tensions

Pakistan has officially invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, set to be held in Islamabad on October 15-16. The invitation was confirmed by Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, during a press briefing on Thursday.

The SCO heads of government meeting will be preceded by ministerial and senior officials’ gatherings, focusing on financial, economic, socio-cultural, and humanitarian issues among member states, according to Pakistani publication Dawn. Baloch stated that invitations have been sent to leaders of all SCO member countries, including Modi. She also mentioned that several countries have already confirmed their participation, though specific details will be shared later.

The SCO, established in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, expanded to include India and Pakistan in 2017. Iran joined the organization in 2023, bringing the total membership to nine. The SCO aims to promote cooperation and peace among its members while fostering a new international political and economic order.

Pakistan’s invitation comes amid heightened tensions with India, following multiple attacks in the Jammu region reportedly linked to the Pakistan-backed group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). When asked about India-Pakistan relations, Baloch noted that Pakistan does not engage in direct bilateral trade with India. She also mentioned that Pakistan’s foreign secretary, currently in Cameroon for the Council of Foreign Ministers’ session, will present Islamabad’s views on Gaza and Jammu and Kashmir.

In May 2023, Pakistan’s former foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, visited India for the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting, marking the first such visit by a Pakistani foreign minister in nearly 12 years. During that visit, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar sharply criticized Zardari’s remarks, accusing him of promoting terrorism and questioning Pakistan’s credibility on terrorism issues.

Jaishankar’s comments came after Zardari’s advocacy for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and a warning against weaponizing terrorism for diplomatic gains. Jaishankar had dismissed Pakistan’s stance, remarking that the country’s credibility was deteriorating rapidly.

The SCO also includes three observer states—Mongolia, Belarus, and Afghanistan (currently inactive)—and fourteen dialogue partners, such as Sri Lanka, Turkey, Cambodia, and the UAE.