Asif to virtually attend SCO Delhi meet: report

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif would attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting virtually, sources said.

Asif will participate in the SCO defence ministers’ meeting via video link. The two-day gathering will begin on April 27 in New Delhi.

Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu will make his maiden visit to India to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting, said the Chinese Defence Ministry, The Global Times reported.

According to the Chinese Defence Ministry, the Chinese defence minister will take part in SCO from Thursday to Friday and will make a speech and meet with the head of delegations from other countries. The Russian defence minister will also attend the event.

The SCO Defence Ministers Meeting will also include participation from two observer nations, Belarus and Iran, in addition to the member states.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from participating countries on the sidelines of the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meet. They will discuss regional peace and security, counter-terrorism efforts within the SCO and effective multilateralism.

Later next month, Foreign Minister Bilawal-Bhutto would attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Goa from 4-5th.

This would be the first trip by a Pakistan FM to India since 2011. The SCO is a multinational group founded in 2001. China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and India are its members.