S Jaishankar, Indias Foreign Minister met Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the Capital Islamabad on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Both of them exchanged pleasantries and participated in a dinner hosted by Pakistans PM Sharif nearly after a decade.  

Jaishankar and PM Sharif shook hands and walked up for a dinner at the PMs residence. The Dinner provided them a platform to engage in informal interactions among the delegates of the SCO member countries.

It was attended by several prominent leaders from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization including, Li Qiang, the Prime Minister of China, Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of Russia, Hossein Amir-Abdollah, the Foreign Minister of Iran, among other SCO delegates.

It aimed at fostering diplomatic dialogue and strengthen ties among the SCO member nations including India, China, Russia and Iran among others.

SCO Summit

The dinner was held on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, the 23^rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government. This 2-days summit is co-chaired by the Pakistani PM Sharif and scheduled to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Pakistan held the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government for 2023-2024. The Summit is taking place at the Jinnah Convention Center.

This means that each member country takes turns for holding the chairmanship for a period or a session. After Pakistan, Kazakhstan will take over the rotating chairmanship of the summit next.

Takeaways from the SCO Summit

The primary agenda of the summit was on regional security, economic collaboration and fight against terrorism. It also held discussions on strategies for bilateral multilateral cooperation and priority areas within the organization.

The event featured cultural performances including traditional dances and music to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the member states.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs of India, the meeting is aimed to focus on trade and economic agenda of the Organization.

S Jaishankar’s Visit to Pakistan

The Indian Foreign Minister received a warm welcome at Nur Khan Airbase, the outskirts of Islamabad. He was received by Ilyas Mehmood Nizami, Director General of Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His visit marked the first significant visit of Indian Minister in the last 9 years. The last visit was made by former EAM late Sushma Swaraj in 2015.

S Jaishankar also shared pictures of his interactions with children dressed in traditional attire upon his arrival in Islamabad, adding a cultural and friendly touch to his visit.

Some Highlights of S Jaishankars Visit

During his visit, S Jaishankar engaged in discussions with various leaders, including with the Mongolian Prime Minister to Strengthen bilateral relations.

Taking to his X, he shared a picture and extended his delight stating, Delighted to meet PM Oyun Erdene of Mongolia on the sidelines of SCO Summit. Discussed our bilateral partnership.

On the morning of the Summit, Indian Foreign Minister, S Jaishankar was also seen taking a walk with his staff inside the premises of the Islamabad High Commission, showcasing a relaxed side of his visit.

A morning walk together with colleagues of team in our High Commission Campus, he noted.

Notably, Indias presence at the SCO Summit reflected the nations dedication to multilateral diplomacy and regional cooperation.

The External Affairs Minister (EAM) emphasized that this visit was focused on Indias active involvement in the SCO. It was not aimed at addressing Bilateral India-Pakistan relations.

Their engagement demonstrated Indias dedication in promoting stability and prosperity in the region through multilateral dialogue

Pakistan Urges Bilateral Talks with India

Additionally, on the sidelines of the summit, Pakistans People Party (PPP) Chairman and Former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari pressed for bilateral talks with India. He emphasized the importance of dialogue between two nations, suggesting that both countries should engage in dialogues and discussions on topics related to climate change and terrorism.

However, S Jaishankar declined the possibility of having bilateral talks with Pakistan.