India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday, marking the first visit in almost a decade, ahead of the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit set to begin in the evening.
India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for the first time in nearly a decade, ahead of the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The SCO, an influential regional bloc, includes China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, with 16 additional countries affiliated as observers or dialogue partners.
Pakistan gained full membership in the SCO during the 2017 summit in Kazakhstan, attended by then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who recently expressed optimism about reviving ties with India.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as the current Chair of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG), will preside over the summit, which is set to address key regional issues, including security and economic cooperation.
Upon arrival at the Nur Khan Airbase just before 3:30 p.m., Jaishankar was welcomed by Ilyas Mehmood Nizami, Director General for South Asia at Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with other officials. His visit marks a significant diplomatic moment amid heightened regional tensions and comes as both countries participate in broader discussions under the SCO framework.
State-run PTV aired footage of Jaishankar’s arrival, capturing the moment as the minister was greeted by the Pakistani delegation.
India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, clarified on Tuesday that he would not be addressing bilateral relations during his visit to Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. His visit, which is expected to last less than 24 hours, is solely for representing India at the summit, according to a statement from India’s foreign ministry. The ministry emphasized that India remains “actively engaged in the SCO format.”
Jaishankar’s visit, while longer than initially anticipated, will still be brief, with his return to India expected shortly after the conclusion of the summit, as reported by the *Times of India*.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also weighed in, stating that SCO rules prohibit representatives from discussing bilateral matters during the summit. He noted that other platforms exist for such discussions.
When asked about India’s diplomatic tensions with Canada, particularly concerning accusations against the Indian government, Bilawal described the claims as “quite serious.” However, in line with Pakistan’s tradition of respecting its guests, he refrained from providing a detailed comment, emphasizing the importance of maintaining decorum during the event.
