ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Taliban have not been invited to attend the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad, according to Pakistani media reports.
The summit, hosted by Pakistan, is scheduled for October 15 and 16.
The Express Tribune reported that the SCO Secretariat did not extend an invitation to the Taliban, reflecting Afghanistan’s current status as an observer state rather than a full member of the organization. Diplomatic sources noted that Afghanistan’s membership has been inactive since September 2021, when the Taliban regained control of the country.
Afghanistan was granted observer status within the SCO on June 7, 2012, but has not participated actively in recent years. In contrast, Mongolia, also an observer state, has received an invitation to attend this year’s summit. Leaders from various countries and roughly 200 delegations are expected to participate in the conference.
