Jaishankar’s Pakistan Visit: Handshake with PM Sharif, SCO Summit Address on Horizon

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reached Islamabad on Tuesday for a crucial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the first time in nine years that an Indian foreign minister has visited Pakistan. Just after the landing, Jaishankar was invited to an informal dinner where the two countries’ leaders – Shehbaz Sharif – greeted each other and shook hands. It was the first time the leaders of both countries had met at such a level of official protocol after a similar meeting during the SCO summit in Goa last year.

SCO Summit Address and Bilateral Relations

Jaishankar is expected to speak at the plenary session of the SCO Council of Heads of Government to be held on Wednesday at the Jinnah Convention Centre. The government expects Modi to repeat India’s concerns about terrorism and extremism in the region, and the matters of connectivity and transit. However, currently, both the Indian and Pakistani sides have said that no such meetings between the two are expected during Jaishankar’s visit to Islamabad.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch also ruled out the possibility of any planned bilateral communications. However, Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that there is a need for trading and communication between India and Pakistan and the revival of regional cooperation in South Asia. Iqbal referred back to the Lahore Declaration of 1999 and proposed to restore the atmosphere of cooperation that was achieved then.

Calls for Dialogue and Future Prospects

Some Pakistani leaders have seized the visit of Jaishankar to raise the issue of resuming the India-Pakistan dialogue again. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stated that he wants good relations between Pakistan and India and waits for the possibilities to talk. In the same vein, former Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari too welcomed the visit of Jaishankar and urged both India and Pakistan must join hands to face common issues including global warming.

Earlier this month, Pakistan Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz urged both countries to seek Climate Diplomacy to address global warming and air pollution along the border. Nevertheless, Jaishankar said that his visit would be centered on the SCO meeting and firmly stated that positive relations with Pakistan cannot come at the cost of ignoring cross-border terrorism.