Afghanistan not invited to SCO summit

Afghanistan will not participate in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, that will take place in Islamabad on October 15 and 16, as it has not received an invitation from the bloc's Secretariat.

Afghanistan's absence from the summit is confirmed after it was revealed that the SCO Secretariat did not extend an invitation to the country, according to Express News.

This decision also underscores Afghanistan's current status within the organisation, as it is classified as an observer state rather than a full member.

Diplomatic sources indicate that Afghanistan's membership in the SCO has been inactive since September 2021. The country became an SCO observer on June 7, 2012, but has not engaged actively since its membership was rendered.

Pakistan, the host country for the summit, is expected to welcome leaders from various nations and around 200 delegations.

Reports indicate that the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan has not acknowledged many provisions of the SCO-Afghan agreement, making recognition of the agreement essential for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

In contrast to Afghanistan, Mongolia has been invited to attend the summit as an observer state.

The SCO remains focused on fostering regional cooperation and security, with significant participation anticipated at the upcoming meeting.