As Pakistan faces hyperinflation and an economic crisis, the Shehbaz Sharif-led government decided not to skip the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers conclave and decided to send foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to Goa to the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), people familiar with the developments said.
Catch LIVE Updates from the SCO Summit in Goa
As Pakistan awaits to finalise the staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which will allow friendly nations to send it economic aid, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will arrive in Goa carrying a message of peace, enhancing trade and regional connectivity.
During the upcoming SCO CFM meeting, people familiar with the developments said that no bilateral issues will be raised, not even on the sidelines. The focus of the meeting will solely be on addressing regional and international matters of mutual concern and interest.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will also focus on climate change and raise the problems faced by Pakistan due to devastating floods in June last year. He will also urge member states to strengthen trade ties with Pakistan.
After thorough internal consultations with all stakeholders, including the security establishment of Pakistan, it was concluded that the nation should not skip the multilateral conference in India, and as a result, the nation’s foreign minister will be in Goa for the conclave.
It must be noted that Pakistan’s foreign office’s affairs are handled by the nation’s security establishment i.e. the Pakistan Army.
People familiar with the developments said that the foreign office was directed to focus on issues related to peace, trade and regional cooperation for the betterment of Pakistan.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is expected to arrive on Thursday evening and will lead the Pakistan delegation to the CFM of the SCO which will be held in Goa on May 4 and May 5.
India has extended invitations to all members of the SCO since it is the current president of the SCO. Foreign ministers from the member states will discuss a range of important geopolitical issues, such as economic cooperation and regional security.
The discussions are expected to focus significantly on the situation in Afghanistan, including concerns about the potential for the country to become a hotbed of terrorism under Taliban leadership, as well as the rapidly changing regional security environment.
Read all the Latest News here
Comments
0 comment