New Delhi SCO Summit: Pakistan on Saturday announced that Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik would participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Civilisational Dialogue scheduled to be held in New Delhi from November 20-22. In a statement shared on X, the Pakistan government said it would participate in the SCO Civilisational Dialogue in New Delhi.
India last month sent its SCO National Coordinator Alok Dimri to Islamabad for a preparatory meeting for the next SCO Council of Heads of State, keeping with established practice.
What Pakistan Said About New Delhi SCO Summit
The Government of Pakistan has nominated Dr Musadik Masood Malik, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, to represent Pakistan at the SCO Civilisational Dialogue to be held in New Delhi from 20 to 22 November 2026, the statement read, adding that the event will bring together representatives from SCO member states to exchange views on issues related to civilisational dialogue and cultural understanding.
ALSO READ: Why Has India Invited Pakistan To SCO Forum Despite Tensions? Former Foreign Secretary Explains
"The Government of Pakistan remains committed to promoting dialogue among civilisations and fostering people-to-people contacts within the SCO framework in a spirit of mutual respect," Islamabad said.
A Move To Ease Tension With India
Pakistan's participation in the event hosted by India shows that Islamabad wants to ease tensions with India to pave the way for its leadership to participate in the SCO summit to be held in Islamabad next year. Ties between the two countries have been strained following the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, and India's subsequent launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The military confrontation lasted four days and ended on May 10 following an understanding between the military officials of the two countries. Now, there is little hope that Mallik's visit will improve strained ties between the two neighbours.
Jaishankar Visited Islamabad To Participate In SCO Meet In 2024
In October 2024, Islamabad hosted the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting, which Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar attended on behalf of his prime minister. The External Affairs Minister had attended a dinner hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Attended Goa SCO Meet In 2024
Then Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attended the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Goa in May 2023.
India's Stand On Terrorism At SCO Meets
India has consistently raised the issue of cross-border terrorism at the SCO meetings, maintaining that the grouping must adopt a united approach against terrorism and its financing, without double standards.
"As a Foreign Minister of an SCO member state, Mr Bhutto Zardari was treated accordingly. As a promoter, justifier and spokesperson of a terrorism industry which is the mainstay of Pakistan, his positions were called out and countered, including at the SCO meeting itself," Jaishankar had said in one such meeting.
SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and security intergovernmental bloc comprising India, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Belarus.
(With Agencies Inputs)
You May Also Like To Watch: