New Delhi invites Bilawal, CJP Bandial to SCO meet.

NEW DELHI -- As the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) chair, India has invited Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to attend the foreign ministers' and chief justices' meeting, which is scheduled to take place in Goa in May.

Reports say Pakistan is yet to respond to the invite sent by India through its High Commission in Islamabad. Given the involvement of China in steering the SCO, Pakistan's decision would likely be in consultation with Beijing.

India took over the rotating presidency of the eight-member grouping in September last year, and has sent formal invitations to all the SCO-member countries, including Pakistan and China.

Pakistan had earlier decided not to participate in the SCO Film Festival, which will be held in Mumbai from January 27 to 30. The third such film festival, hosted by the group, has received submissions from all nations with the exception of Pakistan.

If Pakistan accepts the invite, FM's visit in May will be the first in over a decade

However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently said Pakistan-India talks were the only way forward. In an interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya TV, he said Pakistan wants peace with its neighbour. 'We have had three wars with India, and they have only brought more misery, poverty, and unemployment to the people. We have learned our lesson, and we want to live in peace with India, provided we are able to resolve our genuine problems,' Mr Sharif was quoted as saying in the interview.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari last month made strong remarks about...