FM Bilawal to visit India in May: FO

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will visit India to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM).

This was announced by Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch during a weekly presser on Thursday. The meeting, which includes Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian States, will be held on May 4 and May 5 in Goa.

Bilawal will be the first foreign minister to visit India after a gap of nearly 12 years.

“The FM is attending the SCO-CFM meeting at the invitation of External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Our participation at the meeting reflects Pakistan’s commitment to the SCO charter and the importance that Pakistan has caused to the region in its foreign policy priorities,” she said.

In January, India extended an invitation to the FM and Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Atta Bandial for the meeting. It had also extended invitations to all member states, including China for the upcoming foreign ministers’ meeting in Goa.

Moreover, last month, India denied Pakistan’s participation in bloc’s seminar on armed forces’ contributions to military medicine, healthcare and pandemics held in New Delhi.

India invites Bilawal, CJP to SCO meet

“Pakistan has rejected Indian excuse that it could deny participation of a member state from an SCO event on the basis of a flawed understanding about the nature of a disputed territory between Pakistan and India,” said a senior Pakistani official familiar with the development.

India raised objection to a map that shows Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory.

“Jammu and Kashmir remains an internationally-recognized disputed territory, whose final disposition is to be made in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions through a fair and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations,” said the official.

In line with its strong commitment to the Shanghai spirit and the Charter and objectives of the SCO, he said that Pakistan has been participating with a positive and constructive approach in the various SCO events being held under current chairmanship of India.

He added that Pakistan has urged India not to exploit its SCO Chairmanship to advance its self-serving objectives and politicize the organization.