Pakistan PM Imran Khan not invited at Eastern Economic Forum, clarifies Russia

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has apparently not been invited by Russia for the Eastern Economic Forum which will happen in the port city of Vladivostok, the Russian Foreign Ministry clarified in a statement.

The statement came after Pakistani media reported last week that an invite was extended by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pakistan Prime Minister during the Shanghai cooperation organization summit in Bishkek last month.

Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement said,"We drew attention to the publications in a number of South Asian media that the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Imran Khan was invited to the events of the Eastern Economic Forum (WEF-5) in Vladivostok (September 4-6, this year) as the guest of honour...".

Explaining, "We expect that the President of Mongolia H Battulga, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia M Mohammad and the Prime Minister of Japan S Abe will arrive" in Vladivostok.

Overall 3 Prime Ministers and one President will be attending the forum. 

The forum meeting that began in 2015 aims to garner investment in Russia's far east region.

PM Modi will be going for the forum meeting as a special guest. Russian President Vladimir Putin had extended the invite during a telephonic conversation on January 1 and reiterated the invite during a conversation in February.