S Jaishankar SCO summit, ‘Cross-border terrorist activities will not boost trade’: S Jaishankar at SCO summit in Pakistan
S Jaishankar SCO summit : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stressed that terrorism, extremism and separatism impede trade and connectivity. In a veiled message to Pakistan from its soil on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said cross-border activities linked to the “three evils” of terrorism, extremism and separatism will not boost trade, connectivity and energy flows. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with S Jaishankar in Islamabad. (Reuters) Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with S Jaishankar in Islamabad. (Reuters)
“Our efforts will only progress if our commitment to the charter remains firm. As stated in the charter, this means being resolute and uncompromising in combating the ‘three evils’. S Jaishankar SCO Summit 2024, If cross-border activities are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism, they are unlikely to boost trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel,” Jaishankar said in his address at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
S Jaishankar SCO Summit 2024, The minister stressed that territorial integrity and sovereignty must be recognised in trade and connectivity initiatives and that it is necessary to have an “honest dialogue” on the trust deficit. Jaishankar’s remarks were in response to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s suggestion to expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and integrate it into a robust SCO connectivity framework. The corridor has long been opposed by India as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
His remarks came amid a prolonged military standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh and concerns over China’s growing military muscle in the Indian Ocean and other strategic waters.
S Jaishankar’s historic Pak visit
Jaishankar arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday and became the first Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan in nearly a decade. He led the Indian delegation to the SCO-CHG summit in the Pakistani capital. Before the discussions, Prime Minister Sharif shook hands with Jaishankar and extended a warm welcome to him and other leaders of the SCO member countries at the Jinnah Convention Centre, the summit venue.
S Jaishankar SCO Summit 2024, In his remarks, the foreign minister said cooperation should be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality and the SCO member countries can benefit immensely if the grouping moves forward collectively with mutual trust. He particularly emphasised on adhering to the SCO Charter and highlighted its underlying essence of strengthening mutual trust, friendship and good neighbourliness.
“It should recognise territorial integrity and sovereignty. It should be built on genuine partnership and not on a unilateral agenda,” he said in his remarks, an indirect reference to China’s assertive behaviour on several key issues such as trade and connectivity. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday, October 15, to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the first high-level visit from India in years amid continued tensions in ties between the two neighbours.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi. (ANI File) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi. (ANI File) Pakistan’s main opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Tuesday withdrew its protest as the 23rd meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) began in Islamabad amid tight security. The two-day meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, environment and socio-cultural ties and review the SCO’s performance. Pakistan takes over the rotating chairmanship of the SCO CHG, the second-highest forum within the SCO. The last SCO meeting for 2023-24 was held in Bishkek in October 2023.
Soon after arriving in Islamabad, S Jaishankar is likely to attend a banquet hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to welcome representatives of SCO member countries, people familiar with the matter told news agency PTI. Both sides have already ruled out any bilateral talks between S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the SCO heads of state summit.
India’s foreign minister’s first visit to Pakistan in 9 years
S Jaishankar SCO Summit 2024, This will be the first time in nearly nine years that India’s foreign minister will visit Pakistan even as relations between the two neighbours remain frosty over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. It is learnt that Jaishankar will be in Pakistan for less than 24 hours. Pakistan is hosting the SCO CHG meeting on October 15 and 16.
Protests in Pakistan
1.The threat of unrest was averted after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf agreed to call off its protest in Islamabad last night after the government gave assurances that a medical team would be allowed to visit its jailed leader Imran Khan, 72.
2.It has announced the protest to pressurise the government to ban all visits to prisoners in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, including Khan, ahead of the SCO summit.
3.10 points on the SCO meet and cold India-Pakistan ties
The last Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj. She went to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend a conference on Afghanistan.
4.In August, Pakistan invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the SCO summit.
5.Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan is significant as it is being seen as a landmark decision on New Delhi’s part.
6. In his address at a recent event, Jaishankar said, “Like any neighbour, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan. But this cannot happen by ignoring cross-border terrorism and making arbitrary decisions.”
7.The decision to send the senior minister is being seen as a demonstration of India’s commitment to the SCO.
8.Relations between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after India’s warplanes bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot, Pakistan in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack.
9.The relationship deteriorated further after India announced on August 5, 2019 that it would withdraw Jammu and Kashmir’s special powers and split the state into two union territories.
Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India after India revoked Article 370.
10.India has been maintaining that it wants normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan, while stressing that it is Islamabad’s responsibility to create an environment free of terror and hostility for such engagement.
11.Then Foreign Minister of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India in May 2023. The Pakistani Foreign Minister was invited to attend the meeting of foreign ministers of SCO countries in Goa. This was the first visit of a Pakistani Foreign Minister to India in nearly 12 years.
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