Islamabad- In significant diplomatic move, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made a historic visit to Pakistan, marking the first in nearly a decade. This visit, coinciding with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, has drawn significant attention due to the ongoing tensions between the two neighboring countries.
Jaishankar was greeted with flowers at the Nur Khan airbase on the outskirts of Islamabad. The exchange of pleasantries with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, however, has not translated into scheduled bilateral talks, as both sides have ruled out any formal discussions during the summit.
They warmly shook hands and held a very brief interaction. The Pakistan prime minister greeted all the leaders of the delegations of the SCO member nations.
This is the first high-level visit from India in years amid continuing strain in ties between the two neighbours.
It is the first time in nearly nine years that India’s foreign minister travelled to Islamabad, the last foreign minister being Sushma Swaraj who had travelled to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend a conference. The visit is taking place despite the ties between the two neighbours remaining frosty over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
Jaishankar also posted pictures of his arrival at Islamabad’s Nur Khan Airbase on social media with a caption: “Landed in Islamabad to take part in SCO Council of Heads of Government Meeting”.
It is learnt that Jaishankar will stay in Pakistan for less than 24 hours.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said, ”The 23rd Meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) will be held on 16 October 2024 in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Pakistan. The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the Organization.”
“External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting. India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, both India and Pakistan have already ruled out any bilateral talks between Jaishankar and his Pakistan counterpart Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the SCO heads of government summit.
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