EAM Jaishankar arrives in Islamabad to attend SCO meeting

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday landed in Islamabad to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), marking the first visit to Pakistan by a senior Indian minister in years.

Jaishankar was greeted at the Nur Khan airbase by senior Pakistani officials. It is the first time in nearly nine years that India’s foreign minister has traveled to Pakistan, even as the ties between the two neighbors remain frosty over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. The last Indian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj, who traveled to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend a conference on Afghanistan.

Earlier in the day, India said it remains actively engaged in various mechanisms of the SCO. Pakistan is hosting the two-day SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit on October 15 and 16. "The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the Organisation," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting. India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework," it said in a brief statement in New Delhi.

In the evening, Jaishankar is likely to attend a banquet reception hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to welcome the delegates from the SCO member nations, according to people familiar with the matter. Both sides have already ruled out any bilateral talks between Jaishankar and his Pakistan counterpart Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the SCO heads of the government summit. Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan assumes significance as it is seen as a noteworthy decision on New Delhi’s part. In his recent address at an event, Jaishankar said, "like with any neighbor, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan." "But that cannot happen by overlooking cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking." The decision to send the senior minister is seen as a display of India’s commitment to the SCO.