An invitation was sent to Pakistan’s foreign minister in January to attend the SCO meeting. A few days before that, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahwaz Sharif had offered bilateral talks between India and Pakistan. In an interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya news channel, he said that Pakistan and India are neighboring countries and they have to “live with each other”. Sharif had said that it is up to us to live peacefully, progress or quarrel among ourselves, and waste time and resources. We have fought three wars with India and this has only increased the misery, poverty and unemployment of the people. However, Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office later said that talks with India are not possible without taking back 2019 steps on Kashmir.