SCO In Pakistan: S Jaishankar Plants Sapling During Visit To Indian High Commission

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took a morning walk at the Indian High Commission in Pakistan, the country is hosing SCO meet, on Wednesday, where he planted an Arjuna sapling. FM performed the activity as a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, which promotes tree planting in honor of mothers.

Sharing the moment on X, Jaishankar posted, “A morning walk together with colleagues of Team High Commission of India in Pakistan in our High Commission campus.”

Jaishankar is in Islamabad to attend the 23rd Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government, which commenced on Tuesday evening with a welcome dinner hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. This visit marks the first time an Indian External Affairs Minister has traveled to Pakistan since Sushma Swaraj attended the Heart of Asia Conference in December 2015.

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On Tuesday afternoon, the Indian delegation, led by Jaishankar, arrived at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan airbase. India has consistently stressed that improved relations with Pakistan depend on an atmosphere free from terrorism and violence.

Before the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, “The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the organization.” It confirmed that Jaishankar would represent India at the meeting, reinforcing India’s active engagement in the SCO framework.

Shehbaz Sharif Will Welcome Leaders At Jinnah Convention Centre

The second day of the meeting will begin with Shehbaz Sharif welcoming visiting leaders at Islamabad’s Jinnah Convention Centre. Following the welcome, discussions will take place, including opening remarks and a group photograph. The proceedings will also feature addresses from Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming.

In addition to Jaishankar, leaders from other SCO member states, including the Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, will participate. Notably, the First Vice President of Iran and the Prime Minister of Mongolia (Observer State), along with the Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan (Special Guest), will also be in attendance.

Discussions at the meeting are likely to focus on economic cooperation, environmental issues, and socio-cultural linkages among member states. Additionally, a review of the SCO’s performance will take place, alongside the adoption of several important organizational decisions and the approval of the budget.

Although, there are no no bilateral meetings between India and Pakistan during the summit, Jaishankar’s presence in Islamabad has garnered attention from Pakistani political leaders. Notably, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif extended an invitation to Jaishankar to attend a protest rally in the capital, stating, “We would also invite Mr. Jaishankar to address our anti-government protest and see for himself how strong Pakistan’s democracy is.”