Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar Visits Pakistan for SCO Summit, First in Nearly a Decade

Indian Foreign Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday, marking the first high-level visit from India in nearly a decade for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Islamabad. The capital city was placed under tight security as Jaishankar and leaders from nearly a dozen countries gathered for the event.

Jaishankar’s presence at the SCO summit is notable due to the strained relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. However, both India and Pakistan confirmed that no bilateral meeting between Jaishankar and Pakistani officials is planned during the visit.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Jaishankar briefly exchanged pleasantries during a welcome dinner for SCO leaders, ahead of the main meeting set for Wednesday.

The SCO, a Eurasian security and political organization founded in 2001 by China and Russia, is hosting one of its highest-profile gatherings in Pakistan in recent years. The summit has brought together leaders, including Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Additionally, prime ministers from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Mongolia arrived on Tuesday for the event.

The gathering is expected to focus on strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade and the economy, with many observers viewing the SCO as a platform to counter Western influence in the region.

To ensure the security of the summit, the Pakistani government declared a three-day public holiday in Islamabad, closing schools and businesses. The military has taken charge of securing the city’s Red Zone, where key government institutions and diplomatic enclaves are located. This heightened security comes amid increased threats following recent attacks, including the killing of two Chinese engineers and 21 miners in separate incidents earlier this month.

Despite the heightened tensions and security concerns, the summit represents a significant diplomatic event for Pakistan as it hosts top leaders from the SCO member states.