Pakistan 'invites' Indian PM Narendra Modi for SCO Summit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has ‘invited’ Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to visit Islamabad for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, ARY News reported on Sunday, citing well-informed sources.

The SCO meeting is scheduled to take place on October 15, 16 in Islamabad. Being a host, Pakistan has invited Indian PM Narendra Modi and other member states to visit Islamabad for the SCO meeting, the sources said.

Both India and Pakistan are full-time members of the group led by Russia and China. However, India remains wary of the group’s anti-west platform. In light of this, India has never endorsed China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the SCO joint statement. Despite all this, SCO is the only multilateral forum where India and Pakistan have managed to work together.

Pakistan’s then-Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India last year, for a SCO foreign ministers’ meeting. One of the main reasons why both nations managed to cooperate with each other in these summits is because the SCO charter doesn’t allow member-states to raise bilateral issues.

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Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA), Muhammad Ali Randhawa, reviewed the ongoing renovation work at the Jinnah Convention Center on Saturday, as preparations intensify to complete the project before the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting.

Meanwhile, the renovation work, being carried out under the supervision of expert architects, aims to upgrade the convention center to international standards.

The project includes the renovation of the main hall, committee rooms, complete flooring, paint and glass work, and upgradation of furniture and carpets.

The Chairman was briefed on the progress of the renovation work, which is being carried out non-stop, day and night.