Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto to visit India in May

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation SCO meeting in India next month Pakistans Foreign Office announced on Thursday a development that could provide an opportunity to break the ice between the two neighboursForeign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahrah Baloch announced the decision at a weekly media briefing hereBilawal Bhutto Zardari will be leading the Pakistan delegation to the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers CFM being held on May 45 2023 in Goa India she said ending weekslong speculation if he would attend the conference in person amidst major differences between the two nucleararmed neighboursShe said the Pakistan foreign minister would be attending the meeting as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had invited him to attend the SCO mootOur participation in the meeting reflects Pakistans commitment to the SCO Charter and processes and the importance that Pakistan accords to the region in its foreign policy priorities Baloch saidIt would be the highestlevel visit to India by any Pakistani leader in recent years and a possible opportunity to break the ice between the two nations The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after Indias warplanes pounded a JaisheMohammed terrorist training camp in Pakistans Balakot in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attackThe relations further deteriorated after India announced the withdrawal of Jammu and Kashmirs special powers and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into Union territories in August 2019Also read Pakistan PM says all strict guidelines for the IMF bailout have been metIndia has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment free of terror and hostility for such an engagementThen Pakistani foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited India in 2011 In May 2014 thenPakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif visited India to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modis swearingin ceremonyIn December 2015 then external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj visited Pakistan and days later Modi made a brief visit to the neighbouring country The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia China the Kyrgyz Republic Kazakhstan Tajikistan and UzbekistanOver the years it has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations India and Pakistan became permanent members of the Beijingbased SCO in 2017This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever