Mumbai: India has invited Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in May, Indian media reported on Wednesday, indicating a possible warming in ties between the nuclear-armed foes. The invitation came only days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for discussions with India on all outstanding concerns, including the Indian-occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). There were public riots in India just a month ago over statements Bilawal made regarding Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the margins of a United Nations Security Council meeting. India branded the foreign minister's words "uncivilized." Foreign ministry spokespersons for both nations did not reply immediately to Reuters inquiries for comment on media reports that Bilawal had been invited to the SCO foreign ministers conference in Goa. The SCO is made up of China, India, Russia, Pakistan, and four Central Asian countries. The invitation was conveyed by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, according to the Indian Express newspaper. If Pakistan approves, Bilawal will be the country's first foreign minister to visit India in over 12 years. Since their independence from British control in 1947, Pakistan and India have fought three wars. Two of the conflicts were sparked by the partitioned Himalayan territory of Kashmir. . India accuses Pakistan of fomenting the decades-long conflict in Kashmir, which is primarily under its control. Pakistan disputes India's charge. When India arbitrarily withdrew the autonomous status of unlawfully occupied Kashmir in late 2019, tensions rose once more. According to PM Shehbaz, New Delhi's actions resulted in "flagrant" human rights breaches in Pakistan. Since then, official discussions between the two nations have been discontinued, however there have been occasional attempts to restart talks through backdoor diplomacy. The UAE mediated the last effort in 2021, and PM Shehbaz has requested its assistance once more to facilitate the restart of discussions with India.
Mumbai: India has invited Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in May, Indian media reported on Wednesday, indicating a possible warming in ties between the nuclear-armed foes.
The invitation came only days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for discussions with India on all outstanding concerns, including the Indian-occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
There were public riots in India just a month ago over statements Bilawal made regarding Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the margins of a United Nations Security Council meeting. India branded the foreign minister’s words “uncivilized.”
Foreign ministry spokespersons for both nations did not reply immediately to Reuters inquiries for comment on media reports that Bilawal had been invited to the SCO foreign ministers conference in Goa.
The SCO is made up of China, India, Russia, Pakistan, and four Central Asian countries.
The invitation was conveyed by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, according to the Indian Express newspaper.
If Pakistan approves, Bilawal will be the country’s first foreign minister to visit India in over 12 years.
Since their independence from British control in 1947, Pakistan and India have fought three wars. Two of the conflicts were sparked by the partitioned Himalayan territory of Kashmir.
. India accuses Pakistan of fomenting the decades-long conflict in Kashmir, which is primarily under its control. Pakistan disputes India’s charge.
When India arbitrarily withdrew the autonomous status of unlawfully occupied Kashmir in late 2019, tensions rose once more. According to PM Shehbaz, New Delhi’s actions resulted in “flagrant” human rights breaches in Pakistan.
Since then, official discussions between the two nations have been discontinued, however there have been occasional attempts to restart talks through backdoor diplomacy. The UAE mediated the last effort in 2021, and PM Shehbaz has requested its assistance once more to facilitate the restart of discussions with India.
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