A ‘good member of SCO, not a bilateral dialogue’: S Jaishankar on Pakistan trip | India News

Jaishankar’s visit comes after India received an invitation from Pakistan for the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) in-person meeting in August.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s upcoming visit to Islamabad for the SCO Summit 2024 has sparked speculation and anticipation, with many questioning the potential for a thaw in India-Pakistan relations. However, Jaishankar has made it clear that his visit is strictly focused on the multilateral event and not a platform for “India-Pakistan bilateral discussions.

“I am not going there to discuss India-Pakistan relations. I am going there to be a good member of the SCO,” Jaishankar asserted, emphasising his commitment to the organization’s agenda.

Jaishankar made this revelation while delivering the Sardar Patel Lecture on Governance organised by IC Centre for Governance in New Delhi on Saturday.  “Since I am a courteous and civil person, I will behave myself accordingly.”

While acknowledging the media’s keen interest in the visit given the complex nature of India-Pakistan relations, Jaishankar maintained a diplomatic tone, stating”I expect that there would be a lot of media interest because the very nature of the relationship is such and I think we will deal with it,” he said.

He further clarified that the summit’s location in Islamabad is a consequence of Pakistan’s recent membership in the SCO, similar to India’s own relatively recent inclusion. The minister’s participation is in line with the traditional practice of Prime Ministers attending the high-level SCO meetings of Heads of State.

“Normally the Prime Minister goes to the high-level meeting, the heads of state, that’s in line with the tradition. It so happens that the meeting is taking place in Pakistan, because, like us, they are a relatively recent member,” Jaishankar added.

Jaishankar’s visit comes after India received an invitation from Pakistan for the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) in-person meeting in August. The move follows Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s visit to India for the SCO meeting in Goa in May, marking the first visit by a Pakistani Foreign Minister to India in six years.

While the SCO Summit presents an opportunity for interaction, Jaishankar’s firm stance clarifies that his visit is primarily focused on fulfilling India’s obligations as a member of the regional organization. The SCO, established in 2001, aims to promote cooperation among its member states in areas such as security, trade, and culture.

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