Pakistan nominates vocal India critic for Delhi SCO meet (Img: X)
New Delhi: Pakistan has nominated its Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr Musadik Masood Malik. He will represent Pakistan at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Civilizational and Cultural Dialogue in New Delhi from November 20 to 22.
If the visit goes ahead, Malik will become the first Pakistani federal minister to travel to India in more than three years. His nomination has attracted attention because of his outspoken criticism of New Delhi and his strong statements on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
According to government sources, Pakistan's decision to send Malik could be an attempt to raise the water-sharing dispute on Indian soil. Islamabad is reportedly looking to use the SCO platform to challenge India's decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.
Instead of nominating a minister with a conventional cultural or diplomatic profile, Pakistan has selected a political figure who has frequently spoken against India's position on the water agreement.
The minister's nomination has also drawn attention because of his earlier remarks on the dispute. On June 29 this year, Malik issued a strong warning over the issue, saying: “Whoever lays a hand on our water, we will chop off that hand."
His comments have made him a controversial figure in India-Pakistan relations, particularly amid tensions over the treaty.
India will host the inaugural SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum at Delhi's historic Purana Qila from November 20 to 22. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony on November 20.
The initiative was proposed by Modi at the 2025 SCO summit in Tianjin. It is being jointly organised by the Union Ministries of Culture and External Affairs.
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The three-day forum will focus on shared Eurasian heritage, covering four themes: cultural expression, art and architecture, language and literature, and religious and philosophical traditions. Exhibitions and cultural performances are also planned.
Of the 25 invited countries, more than 15 have confirmed participation, including China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Nepal, Armenia, Saudi Arabia and Cambodia. Pakistan announced Malik's nomination on November 14.
New Delhi's response to the nomination will be closely watched, particularly given the possibility of Pakistan raising the Indus Waters Treaty dispute at a forum primarily designed to promote cultural cooperation.
