CJP Umar Ata Bandia not to attend SCO moot in India

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office has said that the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Umar Ata Bandia, will not participate in a meeting of the chief justices of supreme courts of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s member countries being held in India March 10-12 .

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zehra Baloch, in response to media queries, said Pakistan was an active member country of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and regularly participated in its activities, and always been involved in the organization’s affairs.

However, owing to some unavoidable reasons, the Chief Justice of Pakistan will not be able to participate in the meeting on the scheduled dates, the spokesperson added. 

Ms Baloch said that the Chief Justice of Pakistan has formally informed his Indian counterpart about the non-participation in the meeting.

However, on the question whether Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would attend the SCO conference next month, the spokesperson said “the matter is under consideration and as and when this decision is taken, we will share it with everyone”.

It may be recalled that host country India invited Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the middle of March and May this year, respectively, for meetings under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

This year, the SCO which includes Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian States will be hosted by India.