‘Would have been great if PM Modi was also attending SCO summit’, says Nawaz

Former Pakistan Prime Minister and ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif expressed disappointment over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence from the ongoing Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad.

Speaking to Indian journalist Barkha Dutt, Nawaz said it would have been a “great thing” if Modi had participated, underscoring his long-standing advocacy for peaceful relations with India.

The 23rd SCO summit, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, brings together nine full members, including China, India, Iran, and Russia.

However, India is the only member not sending a head of government for the high-profile meeting, opting instead to be represented by Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

“I have always been a supporter of good relations with India,” Sharif told Dutt during their meeting at the Chief Minister’s House in Lahore. Nawaz's daughter and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also attended the meeting.

The former premier expressed hope that the future could offer opportunities to revive bilateral ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Nawaz’s stance on relations with India

Nawaz Sharif has long been an advocate of diplomacy with India, seeking to bridge divides through dialogue.

Notably, he hosted then-Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Lahore in 1999, a significant moment in the history of Indo-Pak relations. However, his efforts have often faced criticism at home, where some view his outreach as overly conciliatory.

Nawaz Sharif and Atal Bihari Vajpayee signing the Lahore Declaration after Vajpayee's bus trip from India to Pakistan. Reuters/File

The former prime minister’s stance on India remains a point of contention in Pakistan, where relations with the neighboring country remain strained.

In December 2015, Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore to attend the wedding of Sharif’s granddaughter, briefly igniting hopes for renewed dialogue. However, relations have since deteriorated between the two countries.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif smile in New Delhi May 27, 2014. Reuters

Nawaz Sharif’s remarks come as Pakistan hosts its first SCO summit since becoming a full member of the regional organization, aimed at promoting cooperation on security, economic, and political issues across Eurasia.

Focus of the summit

Earlier in the day, Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Islamabad for a four-day visit, during which he will attend the SCO summit.

Premier Li was welcomed by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Noor Khan Air Base with a red carpet reception. This marks the first visit by a Chinese premier to Pakistan in 11 years.

Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, welcomes Chinese Premier Li Qiang as he arrives in Islamabad for four-day visit. Pakistan PM House

The summit will focus primarily on economic cooperation, aligning with the SCO's principles of not addressing bilateral disputes during formal sessions. Despite this, informal meetings may still take place, provided they are pre-arranged.

The transition of the SCO presidency from Pakistan to Russia will be a key element of the summit, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif delivering opening remarks.

A joint declaration summarizing the outcomes is expected on the final day, October 16. A media center at the Pak-China Friendship Center will accommodate around 150 national and international journalists.

What is SCO?

The SCO, initially established by China and Russia, now includes ten permanent members.

The founding members, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, were later joined by Pakistan and India in June 2017.

Currently, three countries hold observer status and 14 are dialogue partners, together representing about 40% of the global population and approximately 32% of the world’s GDP. Iran and Belarus were the latest additions in 2023 and 2024.

The organization’s goals include promoting regional peace, enhancing economic and technological cooperation, and encouraging good neighborly relations. A meeting of the SCO’s Ministers of Trade and Economic Affairs will be held on September 10-11, preceding the summit.