SCO summit: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to participate in a virtual meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on July 4. According to Pakistan’s foreign ministry, Sharif has decided to participate after getting an invitation from his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. In a statement, it was stated that Sharif’s attendance at the summit demonstrates Pakistan’s high regard for the SCO, a crucial platform for regional security and development and increased involvement with the region.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will participate in the 23rd Meeting of SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) being held in video conference format on 4th July 2023. The invitation to the Prime Minister to attend the SCO-CHS was extended by the Prime Minister of India in his capacity as the current Chair of the SCO,” the statement said.
At the summit, the leaders will deliberate on important global and regional issues and chart the future direction of cooperation among SCO Member States. This year, the SCO CHS will also welcome Iran as a new member of the organisation, it said.
Chinese President will also attend SCO summit
In addition, Chinese President Xi Jinping will also attend next week’s virtual summit of the SCO being hosted by India. At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Xi will attend via video conference in Beijing, the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads meeting of the SCO on July 4 and deliver important remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a brief press release.
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About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017. India assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO at the Samarkand Summit on September 16 last year.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced in May that India will host the annual summit of the SCO in a virtual format on July 4. However, it did not cite reasons for holding the summit in virtual mode.
(With PTI inputs)