Pak confirms its participation in SCO virtual summit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday confirmed that it would be represented in the SCO virtual summit hosted by India next month but stopped short of revealing the level of participation.

Foreign Office spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch was asked at the weekly briefing about the participation in the meeting of the Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

India will host the 22nd summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), for the first time under its chairmanship, in a virtual format in July.

"We have received the official invitation from the Indian Prime Minister for our Prime Minister for the virtual meeting of the Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation that is due to take place on July 4," she said.

"Pakistan will be represented at the summit. We will be making an announcement regarding our participation in the coming days."

To a question about the Pakistan cricket team travelling to India for the world cup, she said that Pakistan is of the view that politics should not be mixed with sports.

"India's policy of not playing cricket in Pakistan is disappointing. We are observing and evaluating all aspects relating to our participation in the World Cup including the security situation for Pakistani cricketers and we will offer our views to the Pakistan Cricket Board in due course," she said.