External Affairs Minister Jaishankar meets Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

S Jaishankar, Shehbaz Sharif shake hands, exchange greetings in Pakistan

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar landed in Pakistan today to attend the two-day SCO meet. It's the first time in nearly nine years that an Indian foreign minister has visited Pakistan.

by · India Today

In Short

  • S Jaishankar in Islamabad for two-day SCO meet
  • Attended dinner hosted by Shehbaz Sharif, shook hands with him
  • Key routes closed in Islamabad, 3-day holiday declared

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met in Islamabad on Tuesday. The leaders shook hands and exchanged greetings during an informal dinner hosted by Sharif. Jaishankar is in Islamabad for the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

It is for the first time in nearly nine years that an Indian foreign minister has visited Pakistan, even as the ties between the two neighbours remain frosty over cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. The last Indian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj.

HERE ARE THE TOP DEVELOPMENTS:

  1. S Jaishankar's aircraft landed at the Nur Khan airbase on the outskirts of Islamabad at around 3:30 pm (local time) and he was greeted by senior Pakistani officials.

  2. The two-day SCO summit in Pakistan has drawn top leaders from member states and is taking place under stringent security measures. Key routes and businesses in both Islamabad and its neighbouring city, Rawalpindi, have been shut.
  3. Both India and Pakistan have already ruled out any bilateral talks between Jaishankar and his Pakistan counterpart Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the SCO heads of government summit.
  4. The leaders from SCO member states attending the summit include Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Belarus Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, Kazakhstan Prime Mini­ster Olzhas Bektenov, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Tajik Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Kyrgyzstan’s Chairman of Ministers Cabinet Zhaparov Akylbek, and Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref.
  5. Jaishankar's visit to Pakistan assumes significance as it is seen as a significant decision on India’s behalf. In his recent address at an event, Jaishankar said, "Like with any neighbour, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan. But that cannot happen by overlooking cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking."