The recent interaction between Pakistan and India during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government Summit has sparked significant discussion, with reports of a potential thaw in relations between the two nations. Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s visit to Islamabad, marking the first high-level visit in nearly a decade, has been widely seen as a diplomatic breakthrough.
Upon departing Pakistan, Jaishankar praised the hospitality extended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, describing the summit as “productive.” He also highlighted India’s “positive and constructive contribution” to the summit’s discussions, where eight outcome documents were signed.
Geeta Mohan, the executive editor of India Today and an expert in diplomatic affairs, noted that while there were “no fireworks,” the atmosphere was notably “cordial.” She emphasized that Jaishankar’s interactions with PM Shehbaz and Ishaq Dar were more than just informal conversations, hinting at a potential shift towards better relations.
Mohan pointed out that Jaishankar touched on sensitive issues like cross-border terrorism and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in his speech without directly naming Pakistan or China. She also stressed that the Sharif family’s approach has been instrumental in improving ties, contrasting it with the strained relations during Imran Khan’s tenure.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described Jaishankar’s visit as an “ice breaker,” noting that while no formal bilateral meetings were requested, the visit sent positive signals globally.
Jaishankar’s visit, the first by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly a decade, has been seen by many as a significant step in cooling tensions between the two neighbors.
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