Credit where due.

WE are living in an era marked by greater interdependence among nations for which countries strive to enter bilateral and multilateral arrangements to enhance diplomatic outreach. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is one such platform, which includes the fast-emerging world powers aiming to dominate geopolitics.

The members, including the observer states, meet periodically to forge consensus to tackle security and economic challenges. Following the recently concluded SCO meeting in India, Pakistan's foreign minister faced severe criticism from the opposition for having supposedly received a lukewarm response from his Indian counterpart. Some went on to claim that the visit was a big failure and even criticised the minister for deciding to go across the border. However, a closer look paints a different picture.

First, the SCO summits are held in member states on a rotational basis, and this year it was India's turn. So, instead of posing it as a bilateral visit to normalise relations with India, the government's decision to attend the in-person session should be seen in the context of the multilateral forum to tackle shared challenges with synergy among member states.

Had Pakistan decided to skip the session, it would have lost its rightful place to represent the country at a crucial regional forum. Moreover, the foreign ministry had clarified well ahead of the visit that it did not intend to hold bilateral talks with India unless the latter revives the autonomous status of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Second, the foreign minister rightly reminded the delegates of...