Islamabad, Nov 14 (IANS) Pakistan has nominated Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Musadik Masood Malik, to represent the country at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Civilisational Dialogue to be held in New Delhi later this month, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Saturday.
“The Government of Pakistan has nominated Dr. Musadik Masood Malik, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, to represent Pakistan at the SCO Civilisational Dialogue to be held in New Delhi from 20 to 22 November 2026,” the ministry said in a statement.
Elaborating on the event, the ministry said, “The event will bring together representatives from SCO member states to exchange views on issues related to civilisational dialogue and cultural understanding. The Government of Pakistan remains committed to promoting dialogue among civilisations and fostering people-to-people contacts within the SCO framework in a spirit of mutual respect.”
Malik’s visit would mark the first visit by a Pakistani minister to India since the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Goa in 2023, which was attended by Pakistan’s then Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto.
On October 28, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India had invited all SCO members, dialogue partners and one observer to the SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum.
When asked whether India had invited Pakistan for the SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum, Jaiswal had said, “As per established practice, we have invited all SCO members. We have also invited dialogue partners and one observer to the SCO. They have been invited for the forum, Civilisational Dialogue Forum meeting, which will be held in New Delhi on 20th to 22nd of November, 2026.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the three-day forum, which will bring together representatives from more than 25 countries at Purana Quila, the historic 16th-century fort in the national capital.
The initiative was proposed by PM Modi at the SCO leaders’ summit in China’s Tianjin in 2025 and was subsequently adopted by the grouping.
–IANS
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