India will invite Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to the annual meeting of the council of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) it will host this year, it was officially confirmed on Thursday.
“As per established practices and procedures within SCO, all eight members, four observer states and other international dialogue partners will be invited to the meeting,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said when asked if the Pakistani PM would be invited.
However, it is to be seen whether Khan will attend the meeting in the current situation between the two countries or nominate one of his ministers to participate.
SCO, Eurasian security, political and economic alliance, brings together China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its members together in 2017. The four observer states are: Afghanistan, Iran, Mongolia, and Belarus.
India would host the SCO council of heads of government meeting for the first time, grouping’s secretary-general Vladimir Norov told reporters earlier this week on the margins of the ‘Raisina Dialogue’.