Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is set to visit India in May 2023 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) foreign ministers meeting in Goa.
This marks the first visit by any Pakistani leader since Nawaz Sharif’s visit in 2014. The invitation was sent to all SCO member countries, including China and Pakistan, by India, which currently holds the SCO presidency.
The Meet Will Improve The Ties
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Pakistan‘s decision to send its Foreign Minister to the SCO meeting in India comes amid efforts by both nations to improve their strained ties.
While India has maintained that the neighboring country must take concrete action against terrorism before any talks between the two nations can take place, Pakistan has repeatedly called for the resumption of the dialogue process without preconditions.
What Does The Foreign Office Spokesperson Say?
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The Foreign Office spokesperson of Pakistan stated that the country’s participation in the SCO meeting reflects its commitment to the organization’s charter and processes and the importance it gives to the region in its foreign policy priorities.
The international community has repeatedly called on India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through dialogue and peaceful means. The SCO, which includes China and Russia, two major global powers, can play an important role in facilitating such efforts.
The relations between India and the neighboring country have been under severe strain since the 2019 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, followed by India’s surgical strikes on terrorist training camps in Pakistan’s Balakot.
The situation further deteriorated after India withdrew Jammu and Kashmir‘s special powers and bifurcated the state into Union territories in August 2019.
What Is A SCO?
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The SCO is a regional political and security bloc consisting of eight member nations, including Russia, China, India, and Pakistan. The SCO foreign ministers’ meeting will be held in Goa.
India became a full member of the SCO in June 2017. There are four Observer States, namely Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia, and six dialogue partners, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Turkey.
The SCO represents approximately 42% of the world’s total population and 25% of the global GDP. The organization was established over two decades ago with the aim of promoting economic, political, and military cooperation among its member nations.
Bhutto’s visit to India is seen as a significant opportunity to continue the trend of improving ties between the two countries, despite their long history of mistrust and conflict.
The international community must continue to support efforts to improve bilateral relations between India and Pakistan and work towards a more stable and peaceful future for the region.