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Worsening of India-Pakistan relations has no effect on SCO work — deputy secretary general

Sohail Khan said that India and Pakistan have no right to raise issues related to bilateral relations on the SCO platform

MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. The aggravation of the situation in relations between New Delhi and Islamabad makes no impact on the work of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and its members’ interaction, SCO Deputy Secretary General Sohail Khan told TASS.

"We have not discussed this issue within the SCO. India and Pakistan have no right to raise issues related to bilateral relations on the SCO platform. Especially those relating to the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir," he said, responding to a question about the impact that the two countries' tensions have on their interaction in the organization.

The SCO deputy secretary general added that the interaction of the states continues within the multilateral cooperation. "Yes, it continues. Of course, neither we, nor they are now in the mood, but it is simply human nature," he emphasized.

India-Pakistan relations soured after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. As many as 25 Indian citizens and a Nepali national were killed as a result.

In the early hours of May 7, the Indian Armed Forces launched a military operation codenamed Sindoor and began attacking terrorist bases in Pakistan. Islamabad launched retaliatory strikes in response to New Delhi’s military operation.

On May 10, India and Pakistan agreed to a complete cease-fire. Indian officials said the Sindoor military operation was suspended but not completed.

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