GJ-SUMMIT-PAK

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani

Wednesday said no delegation from Pakistan would be attending

the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit.

Gujarat will host the ninth edition of the annual

industry summit 'Vibrant Gujarat' from January 18 to 20 in

Gandhinagar.

Earlier, a controversy had erupted when the Gujarat

Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), while inviting

several global trade bodies for the investors' meet, also

extended invitation to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce.

India and Pakistan's diplomatic relations have been

strained in recent times over the issue of terrorism.

On Wednesday, Rupani said, "No delegation from

Pakistan was coming for the Vibrant Gujarat Summit."

"There were discussions about it, but it is not true,"

he told reporters here, but did not elaborate further.

Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh had last week said

there was nothing wrong in inviting Pakistan's trade body for

the summit.

The GCCI had decided to invite global trade bodies

during the Gujarat Vibrant Summit and the state government

agreed to it. The Karachi Chamber of Commerce is also one of

the global trade bodies invited by GCCI. The Gujarat

government has not sent any invitation, Singh said.

The Pakistani trade body had been invited to

participate in the 'Global Conclave of International

Chambers', one of the events to be held at the summit.

GCCI office-bearers had claimed it was only a "general

circular" meant for around 285 global trade bodies, and that

the final invitation was to be sent only after scrutiny.

In 2013, a trade delegation from Pakistan had come to

Gujarat to take part in the biennial summit. However,

following tension on the border, the delegation left without

attending the main event.

Thereafter, no Pakistani delegation was invited for

the investor meets held in 2015 and 2017.

The summit was conceptualised in 2003 by Prime

Minister Modi when he was the state's chief minister to

promote investment in Gujarat.

It focuses on establishing Gujarat as a preferred

investment destination in India.

Over the years, the summit has evolved into a platform

for brainstorming on agendas of global socio-economic

development, in addition to becoming a platform for forging

strategic public-private partnerships.