PM Modi invited to SCO summit in Islamabad, but attendance uncertain

Pakistan has officially confirmed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit scheduled for mid-October in Islamabad.

During her weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated that invitations had been extended to the leaders of SCO member states, including Modi. She mentioned that while some countries have confirmed their participation, the details will be disclosed in due course.

The SCO heads of government meeting will be held on October 15-16 and will be preceded by a ministerial meeting and several rounds of senior officials’ meetings focusing on financial, economic, socio-cultural, and humanitarian cooperation among member states.

Analysts suggest that the invitation might be a formality, as the relationship between India and Pakistan has been strained since India’s revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, altering the status of Jammu and Kashmir. It is anticipated that Modi may send a ministerial delegation in his place, as SCO meetings do not necessarily require heads of state to attend.

Modi had also skipped the SCO’s 24th annual summit held in Kazakhstan earlier this year, with India’s representation provided by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Political analyst Kamran Yousaf commented that the invitation to Modi is a standard diplomatic practice and does not indicate a political maneuver. He expressed skepticism about Modi’s attendance in Islamabad.