SCO Summit Day 2: S Jaishankar to attend talks on trade, terrorism in Pak

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif exchanged pleasantries during an informal dinner hosted by the latter on Tuesday

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is in Islamabad to participate in the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. On the second day of the summit on Wednesday (October 16), Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his role as the current Chair of the Council of Heads of Government, will lead the session.

Group photographs will be taken before Prime Minister Sharif delivers his opening remarks, according to media reports. Following this, statements from various member states will be made. A key point on the agenda includes the signing of official documents, after which Pakistan's PM will offer concluding remarks. In the afternoon, the country's deputy PM Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming are expected to brief the media about the summit's outcomes, followed by an official luncheon hosted by PM Shehbaz.

 

Earlier, on Tuesday, Jaishankar and Shehbaz Sharif exchanged pleasantries during an informal dinner hosted by the latter. Visuals showed both leaders engaging in brief conversation and shaking hands, after which Jaishankar proceeded as Sharif guided him along. The Pakistani PM also extended greetings to all heads of the SCO delegations attending the banquet. Jaishankar also exchanged polite words with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar.

India's External Affairs Minister had arrived in Islamabad earlier on Tuesday to lead India’s delegation at the SCO Council of Heads of Government Meeting, marking the first visit by an Indian minister of his rank to Pakistan in nine years.

No bilateral talks between India and Pakistan

Despite speculation, both the Indian and Pakistani foreign offices had previously confirmed that no bilateral meetings were scheduled between the two countries. Nonetheless, Jaishankar’s presence in Pakistan has attracted significant media interest, given it is the first high-level visit by an Indian minister in almost a decade. Jaishankar had previously visited Pakistan in 2015 as Foreign Secretary, accompanying the then External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj.

While Jaishankar is expected to return to New Delhi on Wednesday afternoon, the visit continues to stir conversations. In an interview with Pakistan's ARY News, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed his desire for bilateral talks. He questioned the rigidity of both nations' stances, suggesting that a dialogue between India and Pakistan, either during or after the SCO summit, is inevitable. Bhutto Zardari also acknowledged the shared challenge of terrorism, highlighting the need for engagement to address it effectively.

SCO Summit: Related developments

Former interim Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, has stated that relations between India and Pakistan are not overshadowing the ongoing SCO summit. Instead, he believes that the two nations are contributing positively to multilateral discussions. "India is a key and responsible participant in this forum, and Pakistan seeks a broad range of engagements," he remarked. Kakar also noted on Tuesday that there is a significant desire within Pakistan to improve diplomatic relations with India.

Separately, Muhammad Ali Saif, an advisor to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government from the opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), extended an invitation to Jaishankar to witness an anti-government protest taking place in Islamabad. Saif said, "We would welcome Jaishankar to address our protest and observe firsthand the strength of Pakistan's democracy."

About SCO Summit

The SCO, founded in 2001 by Russia and China, is a Eurasian security and political organisation. This year’s summit, one of the most significant international events hosted by Pakistan in recent years, includes participation from top leaders and representatives of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and India. Iran’s First Vice President and Mongolia’s Prime Minister are also present, while Turkmenistan is represented by its Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister as a special guest.

Discussions at the summit are focused on strengthening regional economic cooperation, addressing terrorism, tackling environmental challenges, and enhancing socio-cultural ties. These deliberations are expected to result in important decisions aimed at deepening collaboration within the organisation and finalising its budget for the upcoming year.