Jaishankar’s Historic Visit to Pakistan for SCO Meeting

For the first time since eight years in 2011, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is in Islamabad, Pakistan, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting. The visit is important not just because of its timing but also considering the relations going sour between the two neighbors.

Jaishankar will also be attending the banquet reception hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for welcoming delegates of SCO member countries. It assumes significance at a time when India and Pakistan have strained relations in matters of Kashmir, cross border terrorism and the rest.

Background of visit
It has planned this event on 16th October, 2024, and it is the 23rd Meeting of SCO CHG. Now, the SCO is going to enhance their cooperation with each other about political, economic, security matters between the member states like China, Russia, India, and the Central Asian countries.

As far as the bilateral visits are concerned, the last Indian Foreign Minister who came to Pakistan was in December 2015 when Sushma Swaraj came. Since then, diplomatic relations have experienced a slump, especially after India’s reactions in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.

No Bilateral Talks Planned:
India and Pakistan rejected the opportunity of dialogue between Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar when the former was sitting in the same hall. The chances of a dialogue at this level are still more diminished because both the countries can afford to practice restraint over not doing something out of their way for being on positive terms with each other.

Jaishankar had also said that while India would like to have good relations with Pakistan, such a wish could not be answered without tackling issues of cross-border terrorism. The same postulation reflects the consistent stand of India that Pakistan needs to take tangible steps for the establishment of an environment that would seem conducive to dialogue.

Security Measures in Islamabad
Prior to the SCO summit, Islamabad went into overdrive security mode. From safety for delegates, security operations began involving Pakistan Army and intelligence agencies, a ban on demonstrations and rallies throughout the capital and its peripheral areas was put in place-all of these measures showed what the government intended at keeping things in order for this big event.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar appeared to be confident that his country could handle the summit: ‘This is a great occasion for Pakistan after holding numerous international conferences over the years. Suffice it is to say Pakistan is ready for this summit.’

Domestic Challenges
Regarding diplomatic consultations, the PTI, the party of the jailed leader, Imran Khan, has threatened to protest in the streets due to the restrictions imposed on Khan during the ongoing protests. This might jeopardize the focus at the center of the government’s attention, which would have been the SCO meeting as the PTI is divided over whether to protest at such an opportune time during an international meeting .

Conclusion
Jaishankar also journeyed to Pakistan for his SCO meeting. This is a moment of great significance for India as well as Pakistan. It marks in one way the challenges and opportunity on the plate in this present diplomatic terrain. And considering the complications existing between both nations, this could be a perfect opportunity for an unbiased bilateral talk during a time when bilateral direct talk is impossible. The whole engagement waits with bated breath to unroll and what it will portend for the relations between the two nations.

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