India's Jaishankar Visits Pakistan for SCO Summit

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Islamabad to attend the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government summit, marking the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years. Upon arrival, he exchanged pleasantries with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a dinner reception hosted in honor of SCO delegates. Despite the brief interaction, the visit comes amidst ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan over issues like Kashmir and cross-border terrorism. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the summit scheduled for October 16, 2024. His last visit to Pakistan was with former Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj in December 2015, during a time of diplomatic engagement. The meeting is seen as a significant event in the context of India-Pakistan relations, which have historically been strained.