• Asif says “yes, certainly there should be no doubt about it”.
• Defence minister says India invited Bilawal to moot in 2023.
• Asserts Pakistan should complete Iran gas pipeline project. 

As Pakistan gears up to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) moot in October this year, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said that Islamabad would definitely invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the regional summit.

Asif made the statement while speaking to a private news channel amid speculations that PM Modi will not attend the upcoming SCO meeting as per reports aired by some media outlets as both South Asian nations have a history of strained ties, particularly due to the longstanding Kashmir dispute.

Before the October summit, the Foreign Office spokesperson said in July that there would be a ministerial meeting and multiple rounds of senior officials meetings to concentrate on fostering cooperation in finance, economics, socio-cultural affairs and humanitarian efforts among SCO member countries.

“Yes, certainly there should be no doubt about it,” said the defence minister when asked whether Pakistan would invite the Indian premier to the SCO summit.

Elaborating on the matter, Asif recalled that India had invited then-foreign minister Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari to Delhi when it hosted the regional summit in July 2023.

The defence minister said the host country could not pick and choose about inviting the heads of state, adding that not extending an invitation to any member state was inappropriate and the SCO would not accept any such move by any host member state.

A day earlier, Indian government denied the media reports suggesting that PM Modi would not attend upcoming SCO summit in Pakistan.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a clarification urging media outlets to refrain from speculating on the matter, according to a report published in The News.

“We have noticed several outlets are running news that the PM [Modi] won’t attend an SCO meeting in Pakistan or EAM [external affairs minister] will attend an SCO meeting in Pakistan,” Indian media quoted the country foreign ministry as saying.

“MEA hasn’t commented on this matter and would request speculative news in this regard be avoided.”

The statement emphasised India’s position that no official decision had been made regarding the prime minister’s participation in the SCO meeting in Pakistan.

The SCO, led by Russia and China, is a crucial multilateral platform for India, primarily for regional security and collaboration with Central Asian nations.

India views the SCO as an essential forum for engaging with these countries, despite its cautious approach to China’s influence within the organisation. Unlike other member states, India has consistently refused to endorse China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has been a point of contention in SCO joint statements.

Speaking about the reports that Iran has announced moving an arbitration court against Pakistan for not constructing the pipeline under the IP gas project, Asif said Pakistan should complete the gas pipeline project saying it “suits [Pakistan] economically”.

“[…] Iran is our neighbourly country and if we need oil, gas or any other mineral resources then the neighbourly countries are economically beneficial,” he said.