EAM Jaishankar to Visit Pakistan for SCO Meeting After 9 Years
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will lead India’s delegation to Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad on October 15-16, 2024. This marks the first visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to Pakistan since Sushma Swaraj attended a conference in 2015. The visit is focused on the SCO’s regional cooperation agenda, with no bilateral meetings confirmed as of now, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
The last high-level visit by India to Pakistan was in December 2015, when then-EAM Sushma Swaraj attended the Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference. That visit led to the announcement of a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue between India and Pakistan. Later that month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore, engaging in talks with then-PM Nawaz Sharif.
Jaishankar’s visit comes at a tense time, as Pakistan is experiencing widespread protests following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and the Pulwama-Balakot incidents earlier that year. Although Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto visited India in May 2023 for an SCO Foreign Ministers meeting, no progress on bilateral ties has been made.
Pakistan currently chairs the SCO’s Council of Heads of Government. Established in 2001, the SCO has grown into a major economic and security bloc, with India and Pakistan joining in 2017. The upcoming meeting in Islamabad aims to enhance regional cooperation, focusing on economic, financial, and humanitarian issues.
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Why in News | EAM Jaishankar to visit Pakistan for SCO meeting after 9 years. |
| Visit Dates | October 15-16, 2024 |
| Location | Islamabad, Pakistan |
| Minister Leading the Delegation | External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar |
| Previous Visit | Sushma Swaraj visited Pakistan in December 2015 for the Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference. |
| Event Focus | Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of Government meeting. |
| Bilateral Meetings | No bilateral meetings confirmed as of now. |
| Historical Context | Sushma Swaraj’s 2015 visit led to a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue between India and Pakistan. |
| Current Diplomatic Climate | Tension in Pakistan due to protests after Imran Khan’s arrest. Relations strained post-Article 370 abrogation. |
| SCO Role | Pakistan chairs the SCO’s Council of Heads of Government. |
| SCO Founding Year | 2001 |
| India and Pakistan SCO Membership | Both joined the SCO in 2017. |
| SCO Meeting Focus | Economic, financial, and humanitarian regional cooperation. |
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