RASC News Agency: Pakistani media outlets have reported that the Taliban will not be invited to the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, scheduled to take place in Pakistan. This pivotal summit is set for October 15-16 in Islamabad, where Pakistan, as the host nation, will welcome leaders from various countries and approximately 200 delegations. According to reports, the Taliban have not received an invitation to participate in the summit, with the SCO Secretariat confirming that the group was not requested to attend.
Further reports indicate that Afghanistan’s membership in the SCO has remained inactive since September 2021. These claims have emerged from diplomatic sources within Pakistani media. Afghanistan gained observer status in the SCO on June 7, 2012, yet it has not actively engaged in the organization’s activities since its accession. Under Taliban rule, Afghanistan has rejected several key provisions of the SCO cooperation agreements, and the formal recognition of these agreements is deemed essential by the Taliban.
Several member states of the SCO have expressed opposition to the inclusion of the Taliban in the organization’s summits, arguing that such invitations do not serve the interests of the Afghanistani populace. In a previous SCO meeting, the Taliban had sought an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to participate in the discussions; however, this request was not granted. The SCO has consistently criticized the Taliban and has called for the establishment of an inclusive government in Afghanistan. Nonetheless, the Taliban have dismissed this demand, asserting that the formation of a government is an internal matter and rejecting external pressures.
In contrast to Afghanistan, Mongolia, another observer state, has received an invitation to participate in the upcoming summit.
