October 15th 2024.
On Tuesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made a historic visit to Pakistan, marking the first such visit from India in almost a decade. Upon arrival, Jaishankar exchanged pleasantries with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a banquet dinner hosted by Sharif in honor of the delegates attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. Sharif also greeted all the leaders of the delegations from SCO member nations at the reception.
Security was tight in Islamabad as the city prepared to host the SCO meeting, with the main conclave set to take place the following day. During the reception, Jaishankar also chatted with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Jaishankar's arrival at the Nur Khan airbase was met with a warm welcome from senior Pakistani officials.
This visit marks the first time in nearly nine years that India's foreign minister has traveled to Pakistan, despite ongoing tension between the two countries over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the SCO Council of Heads of Government summit on Wednesday. He shared his arrival on social media, posting pictures of children and officials welcoming him with flowers upon his landing.
The last Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj in 2015 for the Heart of Asia conference on Afghanistan. Jaishankar, who was then the foreign secretary, accompanied her on the trip. During the visit, Swaraj held talks with her counterpart Sartaj Aziz, leading to a joint statement announcing the start of a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue. Just a few weeks later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore to meet with his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, and open the door for peace talks.
However, subsequent terror attacks by Pakistan-based militants severely strained the ties between the two nations. Despite this, India remains actively engaged with the SCO in various mechanisms and initiatives. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting, which focuses on trade and economic issues, is held annually. Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting, demonstrating the country's commitment to the SCO.
Jaishankar has made it clear that India desires good relations with Pakistan, but not at the expense of overlooking cross-border terrorism. This visit is a testament to India's dedication to the SCO and its belief in the importance of regional cooperation. The strained relations between India and Pakistan have only worsened in recent years, with India's airstrikes on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan and the subsequent revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status leading to further tension.
Despite this, India has maintained that it desires normal relations with Pakistan, but the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment free of terror and hostility for such engagement. In 2023, Pakistan's then-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari made a historic visit to India to attend an in-person meeting of the foreign ministers of SCO nations. It was the first time in 12 years that a Pakistani foreign minister had visited India.
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