Jaishankar's 'casual conversations' with Sharif, Dar; 'ice breaker,' says Pakistan
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently visited Islamabad for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. It was the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in almost a decade. During his visit, Jaishankar had "casual conversations" with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. The interactions took place on the sidelines of the summit, without any formal bilateral meetings.
Jaishankar's visit to Pakistan seen as 'ice breaker'
Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar called Jaishankar's visit an "ice breaker." The Indian minister and Pakistani officials exchanged pleasantries at a dinner reception hosted by Sharif for SCO delegates. Diplomatic sources also reported a brief pull-aside between Jaishankar and Dar during the event, further indicating the informal nature of their interactions.
Cricket diplomacy and positive discussions at SCO summit
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who also chairs the Pakistan Cricket Board, spoke about improving cricketing ties with Jaishankar as a way of "breaking the ice." Pakistan is scheduled to host the Champions Trophy next year and wants India to participate. On the summit's second day, Jaishankar and Dar were seated next to each other at an official lunch, appearing to discuss positively.
Jaishankar describes SCO conclave as 'productive'
Before leaving Islamabad, Jaishankar thanked Sharif and Dar for their hospitality in a post on 'X.' He termed the SCO conclave "productive." The visit ended without any proposals for resuming dialogue between India and Pakistan. Both countries' leaders are likely to meet again at COP29 in Azerbaijan next month. The strained relations between India and Pakistan have continued since 2015, deteriorating after India's revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status in 2019.
