NEW DELHI: Despite the current strain in India and Pakistan relations, Pakistan has sent two delegations to India in the last 10 days. For the ongoing Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Coordinators meeting being held in Delhi, Pakistan has sent a two-member delegation headed by DG SCO at Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Margoob Saleem.
Last week for the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) Pakistan sent two members as observers at the closing ceremony at Manesar. India has also taken over the Presidency of the SCO and will organise a Summit in September 2023. “There will be many meetings organised under the SCO and countries including Pakistan and China are likely to take part in them irrespective of the fact that relations with India are not normal,’’ said sources.
The SCO coordinators meeting is the first meet since under SCO since India took the presidency and such meetings will happen every month. “National coordinators are like the `Sherpas’ of the group and work on issues of concern to SCO,’’ sources added.
“It was a pleasure to interact with SCO National Coordinators at the start of their first meeting in India under India’s chairmanship,’’ said Minister of State for External Affairs, Meenakshi Lekhi. Whether the visiting of Pakistani officials will manifest into a thaw in relations with India, one can’t really say. However, sources say that Pakistan has evinced a keen interest to take part in all the SCO meetings that India would be hosting under its Presidency.
The names of Pakistani officials circulating for attending various events include DG Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asim Ali (he is said to be attending around three events) and Rai Muhammad Tahir, National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta).
SCO meet
For the ongoing Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Coordinators meeting being held in Delhi, Pakistan has sent a two-member delegation headed by DG SCO at Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Margoob Saleem