The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting of the foreign ministers is scheduled to be held in Goa from May 4-5. According to reports, India has formally sent invitations to all SCO members, including Pakistan and China, for the upcoming meeting.
India has reportedly sent invites to the new foreign minister of China Qin Gang and Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto and other members.
In September 2022, India took over the chairmanship of the 9-member mega grouping and will hold key ministerial meetings and the summit this year.
“So far there is no confirmation from the Pakistani side whether foreign minister Bilawal will attend the meeting or not,” ANI quoted sources as saying.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has not participated in the SCO Film Festival which will take place in Mumbai later in January. All countries have sent their entries, while Pakistan is the only country that did not send any film for screening.
“There is only one SCO member country, from which entries have not been received, there has been no response,” Neerja Shekar, Additional Secretary, I&B said on Monday in a press conference.
The SCO member countries include Russia, India, China, Pakistan, and four central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Iran is the latest country to join and under Indian Presidency will for the first time attend the grouping’s meeting as a full-fledged member.
The last meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
