Pakistan CJ skips SCO meet hosted by India

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New Delhi, March 10

Pakistan on Friday reversed its decision not to participate in the meeting of Chief Justices of SCO member countries being held here. However, Pakistan downgraded its participation by a notch. Instead of Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, who had “scheduling issues”, his brother judge Muneeb Akhtar participated in the conference via a video link.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch had announced that Justice Bandial would not participate in the meeting being held from March 10 to 12 in India.

The SCO has so far not let bilateral disputes disrupt its meetings but this resolve will be tested when it will hold the meeting of Foreign Ministers in Goa on May 4 and 5. India had in January invited Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for this meeting. Sources said so far there was no confirmation from Islamabad about Bilawal’s acceptance of the invite.

On the question of Bilawal attending the SCO conference, the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson said: “The matter is under consideration and as and when this decision is taken, we will share it with everyone.”

India took over the chairmanship of the nine-member SCO for a year in September last year and will hold several ministerial meetings, including that of Defence Ministers.

Meanwhile, the US has said it backed a constructive dialogue and meaningful conversation between India and Pakistan. The US is ready to play its role if they agree, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters in Washington on Thursday.