India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday afternoon to attend the 23rd Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG). The meeting begins with a welcome dinner hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Significance of the Visit
The Indian Air Force plane carrying Jaishankar’s delegation landed at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan airbase. This marks the first visit of an Indian EAM to Pakistan since December 2015, when then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the Heart of Asia Conference in Islamabad. India has emphasized that improved relations with Pakistan hinge on an environment free from terrorism and violence.
A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that the annual SCO CHG meeting focuses on trade and economic agendas. “India remains actively engaged in the SCO format,” the MEA said prior to Jaishankar’s departure.
Agenda and Political Dynamics
Tuesday’s schedule includes only the welcome dinner, while the second day will feature a formal session at Islamabad’s Jinnah Convention Centre. After a group photograph and opening remarks by Sharif, the leaders will sign various documents and hold media statements. The meeting will also address cooperation in economics, trade, and socio-cultural linkages among SCO member states.
Notably, several Pakistani politicians have seized on Jaishankar’s visit for domestic political purposes. PTI lawmaker Muhammad Ali Saif extended an invitation to Jaishankar to meet PTI workers during their protest rally in Islamabad. Saif claimed that foreign delegations would appreciate the democratic practices displayed through the protest, further highlighting the intersection of diplomacy and domestic politics.
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