Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday (December 30, 2025) said “tensions between India and Pakistan” were among the list of hotspot issues “mediated” by China this year.

New Delhi has been maintaining that the May 7-10 conflict between India and Pakistan was resolved through direct talks between the DGMOs (Director General of Military Operations) of the armies of the two countries.  At the May 13 press briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs had said, “regarding ceasefire and what sort of role other countries played, etc. See, the specific date, time and wording of the understanding was worked out between the DGMOs of the two countries at their phone call on 10th May 2025, commencing at 15:35 hours.” India has also been consistently maintaining that there is no place for any third-party intervention in matters relating to India and Pakistan.

“This year, local wars and cross-border conflicts flared up more often than at any time since the end of WWII. Geopolitical turbulence continued to spread”, Mr. Wang said, speaking at the symposium on the “International Situation and China’s Foreign Relations” in Beijing.

“To build peace that lasts, we have taken an objective and just stance, and focused on addressing both symptoms and root causes”, he added.  “Following this Chinese approach to settling hotspot issues, we mediated in northern Myanmar, the Iranian nuclear issue, the tensions between Pakistan and India, the issues between Palestine and Israel, and the recent conflict between Cambodia and Thailand”, he said.

China’s role in the May 7-10 Operation Sindoor conflict between India and Pakistan this year came under serious scrutiny and criticism, especially the military assistance provided by Beijing to Islamabad.

On the diplomatic front, China, on May 7, called on India and Pakistan to exercise restraint even while expressing regret over India’s airstrikes.   “China finds India’s military operation early this morning regrettable”, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement on the first day of Operation Sindoor, reacting to questions on India’s airstrikes and escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

“China opposes all forms of terrorism”, a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said in an apparent reference to the Pahalgam terrorist attack and urged both sides to exercise restraint in the interest of peace.

Also read | The new battle challenge of China-Pakistan collusion 

But China’s active military support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in May has become a sharp reminder about the negative impact of China-Pakistan close ties on Beijing’s relations with New Delhi.    For its part, China, whose arms exports amount to over 81% of Pakistan’s military hardware, sought to downplay India’s Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Rahul R Singh’s assertion that Beijing used the conflict as a “live lab”, declining to directly answer his charge.

Gen. Singh said China’s strategy during Operation Sindoor was based on its ancient military strategy of “36 stratagems” and killing the adversary with a “borrowed knife” to buttress the point that Beijing extended all possible support to Pakistan to cause pain to India.

Good momentum

In his speech on China’s foreign policy initiatives, Mr. Wang spoke of the good momentum of improvement of relations between India and China and spoke of Beijing’s invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit held in Tianjin in August this year.

“Also, this year, we invited the leaders of India and the DPRK to China. China-India relations showed a good momentum, and the traditional friendship with the DPRK was cemented and further promoted”, he said, adding that the SCO summit was a resounding success.

China’s engagement with neighbouring countries entered a new stage of building a community with a shared future at a faster pace, he said.

On the BRICS, he said, “the 20-member BRICS family grew more prosperous. And BRICS cooperation was ever more robust under the expanded format”.

“This year, economic globalisation met serious setbacks. The tariff war dealt a blow to international trade rules and disrupted the global economic order. The choice between openness and isolation became imperative”, he said in apparent reference to U.S. President Donald Trump unleashing unilateral tariffs against China and other countries.

He said the China-U.S. relationship was one of the most consequential bilateral relationships in today’s world.

“The strategic choices of the two countries will shape the course of world history”, he said.

“On major issues of principle, we maintained firm and unequivocal positions. On issues concerning China’s core interests, we responded with strength and held our ground”, he said.

“At the same time, we engaged and talked with the U.S. to seek cooperation, foster a more rational, objective view of China, and address differences through consultation and dialogue,” he said.   Both Mr. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with their frequent interactions, “guided the giant ship of China-U.S. relations through troubled waters and steered it in the right direction”, he said.

China and the U.S. must seek solutions to their respective concerns based on equality, mutual respect and reciprocity, and find the right way for the two major countries to get along with each other.

Published – December 31, 2025 12:12 am IST

The fisherman identified as Babu died Thursday, officials said. (Representational)

The fisherman identified as Babu died Thursday, officials said. (Representational)

The Neutral Expert (NE) appointed under terms of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), 1960, decided that he was “competent” to decide on differences between India and Pakistan on the design of hydroelectric projects built on the Indus Treaty-rivers. India, in a statement, on Tuesday “welcomed” the move.

The decision on January 7 by Michel Lino, the World Bank appointed NE, and made public via a press release on Monday, however, does not help resolve a demand by India in January 2023 to renegotiate the IWT but only keeps alive the differences between the two countries on the dispute resolution mechanism, laid out under the terms of the IWT.

Last September, The Hindu had reported that India decided there would be no more meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), made up of representatives of both countries until the IWT was renegotiated. The last meeting happened in Delhi in May 2022. Since January 2023, India has written four times to Pakistan to initiate talks on revising the treaty but is yet to receive a formal response.

The dispute resolution mechanism laid out under the terms of the IWT — as India interprets it — says that disputes must first attempt to be resolved by the PIC. If they do not succeed, the matter would be weighed by the World Bank-appointed Neutral Expert. If this fails too, the matter would be decided by a Court of Arbitration.

However, while India has held that each step must be fully exhausted before both sides agree to moving on to the next step, Pakistan has moved on without waiting for India’s concurrence.

While both countries first seemed to agree on the World Bank appointing a ‘neutral expert’, Pakistan in 2016 asked for a Court of Arbitration. The World Bank first ruled that having a neutral expert and court together could lead to “contradictory outcomes”. However, in 2022, it facilitated the setting up of both an expert as well as a chairman to the Court of Arbitration. India has refused to attend proceedings in the Court of Arbitration at The Hague. Pakistan has maintained that it is working within the terms of the treaty, whereas India says the treaty does not allow such parallel dispute mechanisms.

The press statement, issued on Tuesday, said that while the NE, could under the terms of the treaty, decide on technical disputes it did not invalidate the existing Court of Arbitration. “With respect to Pakistan’s first alternative submission, the Neutral Expert notes that he does not address any issues pertaining to the competence of the 2022 Court of Arbitration. The Neutral Expert concludes that the fact that the 2022 Court of Arbitration is presently considering certain matters that partially overlap with the points of difference does not affect his competence over differences…,” the NE-issued press statement noted.

In the days ahead Mr. Lino is expected to hear both India and Pakistan and decide on whether design parameters of the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects conform with the IWT.

“The latest decision is significant to India because the Neutral Expert has decided that all seven issues — and they are all technical — are in his remit. This means that none of those issues can be taken up by a Court of Arbitration. In previous disputes involving the IWT, whenever the NE has decided on a matter, it has been accepted by both parties. The CoA isn’t an appellate body,” a senior official, familiar with IWT proceedings, told The Hindu on condition of anonymity.

India, in a statement, said that it “welcomes the decision…which upholds and vindicates India’s stand that all seven questions that were referred to the Neutral Expert, in relation to the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects, are differences falling within his competence under the Treaty”. Pakistan so far has not responded to Mr. Lino’s decision.

“Having upheld his own competence, which comports with India’s view, the Neutral Expert will now proceed to the next (merits) phase of his proceeding. This phase will culminate in a final decision on the merits of each of the seven differences… India will continue to participate in the Neutral Expert process so that the differences are resolved in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Treaty… India does not recognise or participate in the illegally constituted Court of Arbitration proceedings…The Governments of India and Pakistan also remain in touch on the matter of modification and review of the Indus Waters Treaty,” the India statement added.

The treaty, that divided up the six Himalayan rivers equally between India and Pakistan, allows India the unrestricted use of all water from the three eastern tributaries of the Indus river (Sutlej, Beas and Ravi) while Pakistan receives use of the western tributaries (Indus or Sindhu, Jhelum and Chenab).

Pakistan had first raised objections to India’s construction of the 330 MW Kishenganga hydroelectric project on the Jhelum river back in 2006, and then objected to plans to construct the 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab river as well. Both India and Pakistan differ on whether the technical details of the hydel projects conform with the treaty, given that the Jhelum and Chenab were part of the “western tributaries”.

(With inputs by Suhasini Haidar)

In today’s digital landscape, technology has revolutionised the way we connect, share, and discover. A remarkable story from across the Indian-Pakistani border illustrates the profound impact of social media and online platforms.

Hamida Banu was tricked into going to Pakistan 22 years back where she said she was “living like a corpse” as she was unable to reach out to her family back in India.

She was approached by a recruitment agent in 2022 who offered to arrange her a job in Dubai. In return, the agent asked her to pay 20,000 rupees. However, instead of Dubai, she was brought to Hyderabad, a city in Pakistan. She was detained in a house for three months.

“I was deceitfully taken to Pakistan by promising Dubai. I tolerated [the separation] for 23 years,” she told journalists.

Banu married a street vendor in Karachi who died during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her 2022 video interview she recalled the details and her story made headlines in July, the same year when an Indian journalist Khalfan Shaikh watched the Youtube interview carried by Waliullah Maroof, a Pakistani social media activist. Shaikh subsequently shared the video on his platform.

Back in India, Banu’s grandson saw the video and informed the family. Later on Shaikh and Maroof arranged a call between Banu and her family in India.

“How are you? Did you recognise me? Where were you all these years?” Yasmin, her daughter was seen asking her on the video call.

“Don’t ask me where I was, and how I have been. I missed you all so much. I didn’t stay here willingly, I had no other choice,” Banu replied.

After Banu reached India on Monday, she was happy to be back with her children and siblings, but she did not predict that a two year old video would be fundamental in bringing her back home two years later.

“My video was shared two years ago. I was not sure if I would reach India. But the Indian embassy called me one year ago, saying you can go back. I have brothers, sisters, children there [in India], but I don’t want to be a burden on anyone”, she said.

India and Pakistan share a long history of conflict and extensive checks on her identity were conducted before her Indian nationality was confirmed in October.
 

Betting on cricket in India is not legal. But if it was, one bet the betting houses would never float these days would be, ‘Will India travel to Pakistan to play a tournament?’. Can you realistically think of anyone who would be willing to bet on a ‘yes’ for that one, anytime soon? Only some very optimistic people in Pakistan and the ICC, perhaps.

Before we venture further into the geo-political quagmire that the governing body of world cricket finds itself in currently, thanks to India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan to play the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and Pakistan’s belligerent refusal to accept a hybrid model this time, let’s get a few things straight and, therefore, out of the way:

• Despite Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent visit to Pakistan to attend a conclave, there hasn’t been a thaw in the relations between the two countries
• India haven’t travelled to Pakistan to play cricket since the 2008 Asia Cup
• The reason India stopped playing cricket in Pakistan and cut off many more ties was the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008
• If the Pakistan camp thought that their travelling to India to play the ODI World Cup last year was a gesture that would be reciprocated by India for next year’s Champions Trophy, they were mistaken
• And finally, if India are to participate in an ICC tournament where Pakistan are hosts, their matches will have to be played at a neutral venue. And that will mostly be up to the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board to work out in order to avoid any potential heartburn.

If you read the above and nodded your head in agreement, then you clearly think differently than people who govern world cricket but who seem to have forgotten the basics of current Indo-Pak cricketing relations. Strange, isn’t it? After all, it was just last year when Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup. Back then, all of India’s matches, including the final, were played in Sri Lanka, as part of a hybrid model. It was a model that was proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) itself (after an impasse, of course) so that they could retain hosting rights. It was the right decision for everyone involved. 

India Can’t Be Ignored

There’s no crystal ball that can show us what lies ahead, but eventually, this is most likely going to be the solution for the Champions Trophy next year as well. There are enough media reports indicating that back-channel talks are on between the ICC and the PCB to convince the Pakistan camp to agree to organise India’s matches in the UAE. The other alternative is playing the tournament without India. But let’s face it, that is just not viable, financially or otherwise. 

However, why wasn’t the ICC more proactive in ensuring that the PCB are fine with a hybrid model, right from the very beginning? Surely, they couldn’t have believed that the Indian team would be given a prompt green signal to travel to Pakistan?

The fact is, a global cricket tournament without India is unfathomable. Indian cricket brings in the maximum amount of money in commercial revenue for the ICC. The new ICC revenue distribution model that was cleared by the ICC board in July last year approved the formula that sees the BCCI take almost 39% of the ICC’s net surplus annual earnings of around $600 million. No other full-member board has even a double-digit percentage share. In the 2024-2027 commercial cycle, the BCCI is earning about $230 million annually from the ICC’s global earnings.

A Mammoth Industry

Media rights sales and viewership are two big parameters that were integral in this formula. It’s no secret that Indian cricket, and also cricket in India, contributes the most to the global cricket economy. Though the exact details were not disclosed, reports claimed that Star India acquired ICC’s India media rights for the 2015-2023 cycle for about $1.8-2 billion. According to the ICC, the deal was “significantly in excess of the ICC’s previous commercial deals.” As per their financial statement and media reports, the ICC earned a record $719 million from the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India. That’s about $162 million more than what they earned from the 2019 ODI World Cup in England. The 2023 edition was also the largest, in terms of overall viewership and spectator turnout. According to an ICC release, it recorded over a trillion viewing minutes—a 38% jump from the last edition in India in 2011.

According to the same release, the final between India and Australia was the most watched ICC match ever, with 87.6 billion live viewing minutes recorded globally. As many as 20 broadcast partners across 209 territories beamed the games worldwide. Even when a tournament is not being played in India, the country matches attract the maximum eyeballs. According to media reports, the India vs South Africa 2024 men’s T20 World Cup final match recorded a peak concurrent viewership of almost 5.3 crore on the Indian host broadcaster’s OTT platform. There’s a reason why India’s matches at global tournaments are almost always scheduled for Sundays or holidays.

In other words, India can afford not to play in Pakistan. It would just be prudent for the ICC and the PCB to discuss a hybrid model for the India matches, just like it was organised for the Asia Cup last year.

Safety Is Foremost

Even so, there’s no doubt that it’s not easy being a part of the Pakistan cricket administration, or even a Pakistan fan who wants to see an India vs Pakistan clash in her or his country. The PCB desperately wants Indian cricketers to play on their soil. Fans in Pakistan are desperate to see and even cheer the likes of Virat, Rohit, Bumrah, Pant and others from stands in Pakistani stadiums. Despite their rather lop-sided rivalry in recent times, India vs Pakistan is still very much an emotional clash, for fans on both sides of the border. But the safety and security of its citizens is the highest priority for any government, despite whatever ‘security and safety experts’ might conclude after visiting empty stadiums and travelling on roads leading up to the venue on non-match days. Neither the PCB nor the ICC can realistically convince the Indian government to allow the cricket team to travel to Pakistan. The writing has been firmly on the wall for a long time now. A plan to work on a hybrid model should have been drawn up a long time ago.

The BCCI is not arbitrarily taking the decision not to play in Pakistan. It’s the Indian government that has the final say. The Indian men’s blind cricket team obtained a no-objection certificate from the sports ministry to participate in the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup in Pakistan, scheduled to be held from November 22 to December 3. But they were not given MEA clearance and have subsequently withdrawn from the tournament. The same decision was taken for the Indian kabaddi team, which was scheduled to play three friendly games in Pakistan, this month. Pakistan is where the Sri Lankan men’s cricket team bus was shot at by 12 gunmen near the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore in 2009. Sure, other countries are touring Pakistan again to play cricket, but India’s equation is different. 

The Standoff Continues

Around the ninth of this month, the BCCI informed the ICC that the Indian team will not get government clearance to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. The final schedule for the tournament was supposed to be announced by November 20, but it wasn’t, and reports from Pakistan indicate that the delay is due to the ICC’s inability to convince the PCB to adopt a hybrid model. Some reports claim that the broadcasters and advertisers in Pakistan are putting pressure on their board, demanding that India play their matches only on Pakistan soil. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that they are ‘just talking to the ICC’. None of this is surprising. And with just around three months to go now for the tournament, it won’t be surprising if and when the PCB agrees to a hybrid model.

Pakistan were awarded the hosting rights for next year’s Champions Trophy exactly three years ago. That’s how much time the ICC has had to ensure two very important things—Pakistan retaining hosting rights and India’s participation in the tournament. Now, with the clock ticking, and the PCB digging in its heels, they find themselves in an almost impossible situation of their own making.

(The author is a former sports editor and primetime sports news anchor. He is currently a columnist, features writer and stage actor)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised the need for territorial integrity and cooperation based on mutual respect, in his remarks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Pakistan on Wednesday.

In the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan since Sushma Swaraj’s 2015 tour, Jaishankar called terrorism, extremism and separatism “three evils”. He added that cooperation between countries is built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas.

Jaishankar mentioned the Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah and Russia-Ukraine conflicts, along with the Covid pandemic, to state that the summit comes at a “difficult time in world affairs”. “Disruptions of various kinds – ranging from extreme climate events to supply chain uncertainties and financial volatility – impact growth and development. Debt is a serious concern, even as the world falls behind in achieving Sustainable Development targets. Technology holds great promise, as well as raising a new host of concerns. How should the members of the SCO respond to these challenges?” he said.

The EAM also stressed the need for multi-faceted regional cooperation, to drive growth and conflict prevention. “Activities across borders characterised by terrorism and extremism are unlikely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity,” Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar arrived on Tuesday for his two-day Pakistan visit at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan Airbase, where he was welcomed by Ilyas Mehmood Nizami, Director General (South Asia) of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Children dressed in traditional attire presented him with flower bouquets. Later, he had a brief interaction with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today at an official dinner held for all the summit attendees.

The two-day meeting of SCO CHG, the second highest forum within the SCO, is being chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Sharif as the current chair of the Council. The meeting’s focus is on the trade and economic agenda of the organisation.

Mr Sharif, meanwhile, called for the expansion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to enhance regional cooperation. “Flagship projects like the Belt and Road Initiative of President Xi Jinping…should be expanded focusing on developing road, rail and digital infrastructure that enhances integration and cooperation across our region,” Sharif said in his speech as the chair of the meeting.

The BRI is a $1 trillion plan for global infrastructure and energy networks that China launched a decade ago to connect Asia with Africa and Europe through land and maritime routes. Sharif said CPEC would also help enhance cooperation, adding that 40 percent of the world’s population lived in SCO’s 10 full member states.

Mr Sharif also called on the leaders to use the SCO meeting to “exchange ideas, share best practices and forge concrete action plans that will benefit our economies and societies”. He expressed his hope for “wonderful outcomes that will emerge from our in-depth deliberations”. “Our collaboration, joint teamwork expands academic and tourism linkages, poverty alleviation, empowerment of women and youth across the SCO region are reflection and commitment of our determination to promote prosperity through unity,” he said.

The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus — with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”. The group claims to represent 40% of the world’s population and about 30 percent of its GDP. Pakistan became a full member of the SCO at its 2017 summit in Kazakhstan.

– With inputs from agencies

New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today landed in Islamabad to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), in the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian minister in nearly a decade.

Ilyas Mehmood Nizami, the Director General for South Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warmly received Mr Jaishankar at Nur Khan Airbase in Islamabad, a foreign statement said.

Children dressed in traditional attire presented bouquets to the foreign dignitaries. A red carpet was rolled out to welcome the guests, underscoring the importance of the event, it added.

It is the first time in nearly nine years that India’s foreign minister has travelled to Pakistan. Ties between the two neighbours have remained frosty over the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. India has, on multiple occasions, clearly stated that “talks and terror cannot go hand-in-hand”, and Pakistan must “stop using terrorism as an instrument of state policy by harbouring and shielding terrorists.”

The last Indian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj. She had travelled to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend a conference on Afghanistan.

“External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting. India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a brief statement in New Delhi.

‘NO INDIA-PAK TALKS’

In his recent address at an event, Jaishankar said “like with any neighbour, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan.”

“But that cannot happen by overlooking cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking.”

The decision to send the senior minister to Pakistan, which is the host nation for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit this time, is seen as a display of India’s commitment to the SCO.

The foreign minister had earlier clearly stated that his visit to Islamabad was not to discuss “India-Pakistan relations”, but instead, it is about the multilateral event – SCO Summit 2024. Speaking further about his visit, Mr Jaishankar had emphasised that he is travelling to Pakistan “only to be a good member of the SCO.”

SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS

To ensure the safety and security of the 23rd SCO summit in Islamabad, the Pakistan Army has deployed to safeguard the event, key government buildings and the Red Zone area where state guests are staying.

The delegates will stay at different venues in Islamabad located within the ‘Red Zone’ or in its vicinity, as 14 locations in the capital have been arranged for their accommodation, Pakistani news website Dawn reported.

SCO MEETING IN PAKISTAN

According to the programme released by a spokesperson of Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif remains the only official engagement for the visiting leaders and delegations today.

The second day of the meeting will begin with Mr Sharif receiving leaders at Islamabad’s Jinnah Convention Centre. The proceedings will begin following a group photograph and Prime Minister Sharif’s opening remarks at the conference.

The signing of various documents will take place before Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming make their media statements. It will be followed by an official luncheon hosted by the country’s PM.

The other SCO member states are represented by the Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the First Vice President of Iran. Prime Minister of Mongolia (Observer State) and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan (Special Guest) will also participate in the meeting.

Mr Jaishankar is expected to be in Islamabad for only about 24 hours and no India-Pakistan bilateral engagement is scheduled or expected on the sidelines of the summit.

(Inputs from ANI, PTI, IANS)
 

New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today landed in Islamabad to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), in the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian minister in nearly a decade.

Ilyas Mehmood Nizami, the Director General for South Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warmly received Mr Jaishankar at Nur Khan Airbase in Islamabad, a foreign statement said.

Children dressed in traditional attire presented bouquets to the foreign dignitaries. A red carpet was rolled out to welcome the guests, underscoring the importance of the event, it added.

It is the first time in nearly nine years that India’s foreign minister has travelled to Pakistan. Ties between the two neighbours have remained frosty over the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. India has, on multiple occasions, clearly stated that “talks and terror cannot go hand-in-hand”, and Pakistan must “stop using terrorism as an instrument of state policy by harbouring and shielding terrorists.”

The last Indian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj. She had travelled to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend a conference on Afghanistan.

“External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting. India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a brief statement in New Delhi.

‘NO INDIA-PAK TALKS’

In his recent address at an event, Jaishankar said “like with any neighbour, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan.”

“But that cannot happen by overlooking cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking.”

The decision to send the senior minister to Pakistan, which is the host nation for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit this time, is seen as a display of India’s commitment to the SCO.

The foreign minister had earlier clearly stated that his visit to Islamabad was not to discuss “India-Pakistan relations”, but instead, it is about the multilateral event – SCO Summit 2024. Speaking further about his visit, Mr Jaishankar had emphasised that he is travelling to Pakistan “only to be a good member of the SCO.”

SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS

To ensure the safety and security of the 23rd SCO summit in Islamabad, the Pakistan Army has deployed to safeguard the event, key government buildings and the Red Zone area where state guests are staying.

The delegates will stay at different venues in Islamabad located within the ‘Red Zone’ or in its vicinity, as 14 locations in the capital have been arranged for their accommodation, Pakistani news website Dawn reported.

SCO MEETING IN PAKISTAN

According to the programme released by a spokesperson of Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif remains the only official engagement for the visiting leaders and delegations today.

The second day of the meeting will begin with Mr Sharif receiving leaders at Islamabad’s Jinnah Convention Centre. The proceedings will begin following a group photograph and Prime Minister Sharif’s opening remarks at the conference.

The signing of various documents will take place before Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming make their media statements. It will be followed by an official luncheon hosted by the country’s PM.

The other SCO member states are represented by the Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the First Vice President of Iran. Prime Minister of Mongolia (Observer State) and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan (Special Guest) will also participate in the meeting.

Mr Jaishankar is expected to be in Islamabad for only about 24 hours and no India-Pakistan bilateral engagement is scheduled or expected on the sidelines of the summit.

(Inputs from ANI, PTI, IANS)