EAM Jaishankar Arrives In Pakistan For SCO Summit, Imran Khan’s Party Threatens Protest

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Pakistan’s Islamabad on Tuesday to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Wednesday.

Jaishankar is likely to attend a banquet reception hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to welcome the delegates from the SCO member nations, news agency PTI quoted people familiar with the matter. This would be the first high-level visit from India in years amid continuing strain in ties between the two neighbours.

It will be for the first time in nearly nine years that India’s foreign minister will travel to Pakistan, even as the ties between the two neighbours remain frosty over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

It is learnt that Jaishankar will stay in Pakistan for less than 24 hours.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said, ​”The 23rd Meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) will be held on 16 October 2024 in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Pakistan. The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the Organization.”

“External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting. India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, both India and Pakistan have already ruled out any bilateral talks between Jaishankar and his Pakistan counterpart Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the SCO heads of government summit.

SCO MEETING IN PAKISTAN
Pakistan is hosting the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting on October 15 and 16. The SCO, established in 2001, aims to promote political, economic, and security cooperation in the region.

The SCO comprises Pakistan, China, India, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus – with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”.

According to an official statement, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be among the senior regional government officials attending the event, PTI reported.

The last Indian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj. She had travelled to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend a conference on Afghanistan. In August, Pakistan invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the SCO summit. Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan assumes significance as it is seen as a significant decision on New Delhi’s part.

WHAT JAISHANKAR SAID ON HIS PAKISTAN VISIT
In his recent address at an event, Jaishankar said, “Like with any neighbour, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan.”

“But that cannot happen by overlooking cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking.” The decision to send the senior minister is seen as a display of India’s commitment to the SCO.

The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after India’s warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack.

The relations further deteriorated after India announced the withdrawal of special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories on August 5, 2019.

Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India after New Delhi abrogated Article 370.

India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment free of terror and hostility for such engagement.

Pakistan’s then foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India in May 2023 to attend an in-person meeting of the foreign ministers of SCO nations in Goa. It was the first visit of a Pakistani foreign minister to India in almost 12 years.

STRICT SECURITY MEASURES IN PAKISTAN
Strict security arrangements have been made by the authorities for the SCO meeting in Islamabad. In a statement, Islamabad Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Nasir Ali Rizvi said that a “comprehensive” security plan had been chalked out ahead of the all-important summit in the federal capital, PTI reported.

“Security personnel will be deployed at funnel areas, hotels and places where foreign delegations are staying,” he said, adding that they ensured the security of foreign leaders, delegations and guests.

Furthermore, Rizvi said search and information-based operations were underway, with personnel of the Pakistan Army, intelligence agencies, Frontier Corps (FC) and Rangers performing their duties. The police chief pointed out that more than 9,000 personnel of the police force have been deployed for security.

“An integrated traffic plan has also been issued for the convenience of citizens,” he said. The government already deployed army troops in the capital to tackle any untoward situation, while announcing a ban on all kinds of protests and rallies in Islamabad, neighbouring Rawalpindi and some other cities.

‘PAKISTAN FULLY PREPARED’ SAY TOP MINISTERS
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that their country was fully prepared to host the SCO summit. “We are ready to extend a warm welcome to the summit participants, including the Indian foreign minister,” he told the media during a walk-through event in Islamabad to review the event’s arrangements.

He said that Pakistan was hosting a major international event after several years and would handle its responsibilities with excellence. Dar said the Chinese Premier would also hold bilateral talks with his Pakistani counterpart.

He confirmed there’s no request for a bilateral meeting from India.

IMRAN KHAN’s PTI THREATENS PROTEST
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has threatened to hold a protest on October 15 against the restriction imposed on its jailed leader Imran Khan. The party demanded that the government allow him to meet his family, legal team and doctor.

The News reported that the party is divided over the issue of protest and saner elements in PTI are trying to get the protest call withdrawn.

Asad Qaiser, Hamid Khan and Raoof Hasan are among the minority that believe it is not in the interest of Pakistan to hold such a protest. Ali Muhammad Khan, though not a part of the PTI’s political committee, is also upset with the protest call for October 15.

Meanwhile, without naming the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Dar criticised the party for trying to sabotage the summit with their call for protests. “Protests during nationally significant events do not send a positive message,” Dar said, as quoted by news agency PTI.