ISLAMABAD, October 15,2024: In a rare diplomatic exchange between the arch-rivals, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was greeted with a handshake by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a dinner hosted for foreign dignitaries.
Jaishankar’s arrival in Pakistan marks the first visit by an Indian foreign minister in nearly a decade, underscoring the significance of the event amidst the strained relations between the two nuclear-armed nations.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, now in its 23rd iteration, is being held in Islamabad, with heightened security measures in place to ensure the event runs smoothly.
Jaishankar landed at an airbase near Islamabad just before 3:30 PM, where he was welcomed by a small group of children offering him bouquets of flowers, captured by television cameras.
The Indian minister is among several high-ranking officials attending the gathering, which culminates with the main summit on Wednesday.
Despite the diplomatic engagement, both Pakistan and India have made it clear that no formal bilateral talks are planned during the visit, maintaining the current frosty relations.