Neither India nor Pakistan has requested a bilateral meeting during the upcoming SCO Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad, as confirmed by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. The visit by Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar marks the first of its kind in nearly a decade, with expectations that discussions will primarily address multilateral issues rather than direct bilateral relations.
Neither India nor Pakistan has expressed a desire for a bilateral meeting during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Islamabad for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of Government meeting scheduled on October 15-16. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, emphasized that while they will extend “full protocol” to Mr. Jaishankar, he will participate as a guest for the SCO, with discussions focused on multilateral issues. Mr. Jaishankar is expected to arrive in Islamabad along with leaders from eleven other SCO member states, including Vice-President Mohammadreza Aref from Iran, and heads of government from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Notably, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang will arrive a day earlier for their own bilateral discussions with Pakistani leadership. Despite ongoing speculation, there is little expectation of substantial engagement between India and Pakistan, as Mr. Jaishankar’s visit is his first to Pakistan in nearly ten years. The last visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister was in 2015, when former Minister Sushma Swaraj attended a conference that coincided with a bilateral meeting aimed at revitalizing the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue, which was subsequently derailed following the Pathankot terror attacks. Mr. Dar stated, “India’s Foreign Minister has not asked for any meeting, and we haven’t requested a bilateral meeting either. He will come as a guest for the SCO, and discussions will be held on multilateral issues.” This highlights the absence of diplomatic engagement at this juncture. Discussions surrounding trade relations between the two nations, put on hold since 2019, have also not yielded any breakthroughs, despite earlier indications from Mr. Dar that Pakistan would consider reviving these ties. He noted that while Pakistan is exploring connectivity initiatives with other SCO members, these endeavors remain separate from the initiations of the summit, which will have a multilateral agenda.
The context of the article revolves around the upcoming SCO Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad, providing a platform for member nations to address various geopolitical and economic issues. As both India and Pakistan navigate a complex relationship steeped in historical tensions, the absence of requests for bilateral talks during such a significant meeting underscores the current state of affairs between the two nations. The previous interactions have been marred by external events, such as terror attacks, which have heavily influenced bilateral discussions, further complicating any prospects for dialogue. The ongoing domestic challenges in Pakistan, including political unrest, add another layer of complexity to these international engagements, making the current landscape particularly tenuous.
In conclusion, the lack of bilateral meeting requests from both India and Pakistan reflects the ongoing complexities and strains in their diplomatic relations. While the SCO meeting presents an opportunity for multilateral discussions, the absence of specific engagements between the two nations suggests a continuation of their cautious approach towards dialogue. As both parties focus on broader regional cooperation through the SCO framework, the possibilities for direct engagement remain limited amid prevailing mutual distrust.
Original Source: www.thehindu.com
