Jaishankar's Pakistan Visit: Navigating Diplomacy at SCO Summit

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced his visit to Pakistan for the SCO Heads of Government meeting, emphasizing it's a multilateral event and not for addressing Indo-Pak relations. This will be India's first ministerial visit to Pakistan in nine years amid ongoing bilateral tensions.

In a diplomatic move, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will visit Pakistan for the first time in nearly a decade, attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad mid-October. The minister clarified that the visit is purely for the multilateral summit and not for bilateral talks with Pakistan.

The SCO meeting, set for October 15 and 16, marks a significant event with India's presence, despite the icy Indo-Pak relations due to ongoing cross-border tensions. Jaishankar, who addressed attendees at the Sardar Patel Lecture, noted the meeting is part of traditional diplomatic practices within the SCO framework.

Jaishankar reiterated his focus on the SCO's agenda, distancing the visit from Indo-Pak relations and highlighting the broader diplomatic responsibilities. The SCO, expanding in its geopolitical influence, recently welcomed Iran as a permanent member, underscoring the evolving global multipolarity.

(With inputs from agencies.)