Pakistan to attend SCO civilizations conference in New Delhi
The Foreign Office has nominated Dr Musaddiq Masood Malik to represent Pakistan at the 20-22 November meeting, which Indian media say will be held at Purana Qila.
Pakistan will attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation conference on dialogue among civilizations in New Delhi from 20 to 22 November and has nominated Dr Musaddiq Masood Malik to represent it, the Foreign Office said.
The Foreign Office spokesperson said representatives of SCO member states will discuss shared cultural heritage, historical traditions and the links between civilizations.
According to the statement, the meeting will take up dialogue among civilizations and cultural harmony. It said the government of Pakistan is committed, in a spirit of mutual respect, to promoting dialogue among civilizations and people-to-people contacts within the SCO framework.
Aaj News reported the decision and the nomination, citing the Foreign Office.
Indian media reported that the conference will be held at Purana Qila, the historic fort complex in the Indian capital, and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the opening ceremony. Those details came from Indian outlets and were carried by Aaj News. The Foreign Office statement did not mention the venue or who would attend from the Indian side.
The forum is intended to widen the organisation's work beyond political, economic and security cooperation to cultural ties and contacts between the peoples of member states.
UrduPoint reported that Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir said Pakistan's participation in the New Delhi forum could carry diplomatic and cultural significance. The outlet put the senator's comment in its headline.
Both Pakistan and India are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, whose meetings Pakistan has attended at ministerial and official level in recent years.
How the reports differ
UrduPoint led on a comment by Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir that Pakistan's participation in the New Delhi forum could carry diplomatic and cultural significance, and did not carry the Foreign Office announcement in the text available. Aaj News led on the Foreign Office decision and was alone in naming Dr Musaddiq Masood Malik as Pakistan's representative and in giving the 20 to 22 November dates. Aaj News also carried Indian media reports that the conference will be held at Purana Qila with Narendra Modi expected at the opening ceremony, details the Foreign Office statement did not include.
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