Pakistan Civilisation No Different From Ours Says Shekhawat as India Invites Islamabad to SCO Forum
Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has expressed hope that Pakistan will take part in the first Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Civilisational Dialogue Forum being hosted by India in New Delhi. Speaking to journalists at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, Shekhawat made a notable remark about the shared history between the two neighboring nations. He stated that Pakistan civilisation and cultural growth are no different from India because it has been less than eighty years since Pakistan separated from India, meaning their historical journey happened alongside ours.
India has formally invited all member states, observer nations, and dialogue partners of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to attend this major international gathering. According to official sources, New Delhi has sent an invitation to Pakistan Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, to join the cultural conference. This marks the first time India has invited a senior Pakistani minister for an official event in New Delhi since the military tensions between the two countries in May 2025 following Operation Sindoor.
When reporters asked whether Pakistan would accept the invitation and send a delegation to India, Shekhawat struck an optimistic yet realistic tone. He said that India has fulfilled its duty as the host nation by extending a warm invite to every member of the regional grouping, and he remains hopeful that Islamabad will participate. At the same time, he clarified that the final decision on whether to attend rests entirely with the Pakistani leadership.
Addressing deeper questions about ancient history, the Union Minister also commented on recent claims made by some Pakistani officials regarding the 5,000 year old Indus Valley Civilisation. Shekhawat remarked that any country speaking about five thousand years of ancient heritage should remember that its own separate national story is less than eighty years old. Because both countries grew from the exact same historical roots before 1947, he stressed that there cannot be any real difference between their civilisations.
The upcoming SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum is scheduled to take place at the historic Purana Qila in New Delhi from November 20 to November 22, 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend and inaugurate the opening ceremony of the three day event. The idea for this special cultural dialogue was first proposed by Prime Minister Modi during the SCO summit in Tianjin in September 2025, with the goal of turning the regional bloc into a platform that celebrates human values and shared history rather than focusing only on trade and security.
Jointly organized by the Union Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of External Affairs, the forum has already received strong backing from across Asia and the Middle East. Out of the 25 countries invited to participate, 15 nations have officially confirmed their presence so far. Major countries including China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Kazakhstan have already accepted India invitation, while the window remains open for the remaining nations to confirm their representatives.
During the event in Delhi, visiting delegates and scholars will hold detailed sessions on November 21 and November 22 around four main themes. These discussions will cover civilisational and cultural expression, traditional art and architecture, ancient languages, and old manuscripts. Participating nations will also explore working together to submit joint nominations for UNESCO world heritage status, highlighting how centuries of trade and travel connected people across the Eurasian region.
Speaking about the power of art and heritage during times of global unrest, Shekhawat explained that culture plays a quiet but vital role in bringing people closer. While he acknowledged that cultural meetings alone cannot instantly solve every political dispute or border disagreement, he noted that shared traditions help open doors for conversation and build basic trust between nations.
In Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan confirmed during a recent media briefing that Pakistan has indeed received India official invitation for the forum. He stated that the government is currently holding internal consultations before announcing its final decision on participation. Interestingly, Pakistan envoy in New Delhi also recently attended an official luncheon hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs alongside other SCO diplomats ahead of the cultural gathering.
For ordinary citizens across South Asia, moments like these highlight how deeply intertwined the history, language, music, and traditions of the region remain despite political borders. Whether Pakistan ultimately sends its culture minister to Purana Qila or chooses to stay away, India decision to host the SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum shows a clear effort to showcase its five thousand year old heritage on the global stage while keeping multilateral doors open.