India’s Minister for External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday. This marks the first such visit in nearly a decade. Jaishankar is attending the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which will start in the evening.
The SCO includes China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, and several Central Asian states. Pakistan joined as a full member in 2017 during the summit in Kazakhstan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the summit as the Chair of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG).
Ilyas Mehmood Nizami, Director General for South Asia at Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed Jaishankar at the Nur Khan Airbase. State-run PTV broadcasted Jaishankar’s arrival. Jaishankar clarified that he will not discuss bilateral ties during this visit and will focus only on the SCO summit.
India’s foreign ministry stated that Jaishankar will represent India at the SCO meeting. They expect Jaishankar to stay for less than 24 hours before returning to India. Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari confirmed that SCO rules prevent member states from addressing bilateral issues during the summit.
Bilawal avoided commenting in detail on India’s tensions with Canada. He explained that Pakistan’s tradition of respecting guests would guide him not to engage on the matter during the summit.
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Several state heads and ministers arrived in Islamabad ahead of the summit. Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit is the first by a Chinese premier in 11 years. Leaders from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will also attend the event. Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, is participating as well.
Other officials arriving for the summit include Mongolia’s Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene and Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Raşit Meredow. High-level officials, such as Kyrgyz Premier Akylbek Japarov and Belarus Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, have already landed in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will host a welcome dinner to officially open the summit. The official proceedings will take place on Wednesday at the Jinnah Convention Centre. Delegates will engage in discussions, sign documents, and listen to concluding remarks from PM Shehbaz.
Security forces in Islamabad have ramped up preparations for the high-profile summit. The Army, along with Rangers, is protecting key government buildings and ensuring there are no disruptions. Over 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel are providing security for the 900 delegates attending the event.
Authorities have closed businesses and routes in Islamabad and Rawalpindi due to security concerns. The government has arranged 14 accommodations in the capital’s Red Zone for the delegates. The officials will travel in a motorcade of 124 vehicles, including 84 specifically for heads of state.
A four-member delegation from India arrived on Sunday, alongside representatives from Russia, China, Iran, and Kyrgyzstan. Seven SCO delegates also reached Islamabad, with more expected before the summit begins.
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