Musadik Malik to represent Pakistan at SCO conference in New Delhi

Pakistan will participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Civilisational Dialogue Forum in New Delhi from November 20 to 22, with Federal Minister Dr Musadik Malik representing the country, the Foreign Office announced on Saturday.

The decision marks a significant diplomatic engagement between Pakistan and India through a multilateral platform, despite relations remaining strained following the military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May 2025.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, Malik will lead Pakistan’s representation at the three-day conference in the Indian capital.

Pakistan’s participation in the New Delhi forum also comes as Islamabad prepares to host the SCO Council of Heads of State summit in August 2027. The country currently holds the organisation’s 2026–27 chairmanship of the Council of Heads of State, with preparations for next year’s summit already under way.

The announcement follows weeks of uncertainty over Islamabad’s participation. On November 6, Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan confirmed that Pakistan had received India’s invitation but said the decision would be taken by the country’s leadership after institutional consultations.

Indian Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had also expressed hope on Friday that Pakistan would attend the gathering, saying cultural exchanges could help strengthen understanding between the two countries. India had initially extended an invitation to Pakistan’s Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, according to Indian media reports.

The upcoming visit would be a rare ministerial-level engagement in India following last year’s military hostilities. Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attended an SCO foreign ministers’ meeting in Goa in May 2023.

What is the SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum?

The inaugural SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum will take place at the historic Purana Qila in New Delhi, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to inaugurate the gathering on November 20.

The event is being jointly organised by India’s ministries of culture and external affairs.

Its agenda includes discussions on civilisational and cultural expression, art and architecture, language, literature and manuscripts, alongside opportunities for cooperation in preserving shared cultural heritage.

The initiative was proposed by Modi during the SCO leaders’ summit in Tianjin, China, in September 2025 and subsequently endorsed by member states.

The forum aims to expand cooperation beyond the organisation’s traditional focus on security, politics and economic development by promoting cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts.

Indian officials said on Friday that 15 of the 25 invited countries had confirmed their participation, including China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and several Central Asian states.

Pakistan and India’s engagement through the SCO

Pakistan and India became full members of the SCO in 2017. The organisation, established in 2001, now has 10 member states, including China, Russia, Iran and Belarus.

Despite longstanding bilateral disputes, Islamabad and New Delhi have continued participating in SCO meetings and other multilateral engagements.