Islamabad, (TDI): India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived Tuesday in Pakistan landing at Noor Khan Airbase, Rawalpindi adjacent to the Capital city of Islamabad.
Jaishankar is the first Indian foreign minister in the last 10 years visiting Islamabad.
In December 2015, the then external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj made a trip to Islamabad but since then there was a lull in exchange of visits due to tense ties between the two countries. The blame games in the region has further deteriorated the situation.
Nevertheless, Jaishankar is expected to attend a welcome dinner, hosted by PM Shehbaz at the PM House for the delegates today.
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The Indian minister will represent Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the summit.
According to certain media reports, he will stay in Islamabad for about 24 hours, and will return on Wednesday evening.
Pakistan and India have denied any bilateral engagement during Jaishankar stay in Islamabad. Yet like other delegates, the visiting Indian minister is possibly to interact with host PM Shehbaz and his counterpart and Deputy PM Senator Ishaq Dar before going to the SCO meeting.
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Jaishankar had already said that he is not travelling to Islamabad to discuss bilateral relations but to fulfil his role as a “good member” of the SCO.
Certain Media reports expressed optimism that though no formal meeting between Pakistani officials and the Indian minister is scheduled, yet informal interactions could have positive impact on future contacts between the two countries.
