Jaishankar Clarifies Pakistan Visit: Attending SCO Summit, Not Discussing India-Pakistan Relations -

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External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar clarified on Saturday that his upcoming visit to Islamabad is solely for the purpose of attending the SCO Summit 2024, not for discussing India-Pakistan relations. Speaking at the Sardar Patel Lecture on Governance in New Delhi, organized by the IC Centre for Governance, Jaishankar emphasized that his participation is in the capacity of a responsible member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

“Yes, I am scheduled to go to Pakistan in the middle of this month for the SCO Heads of Government meeting,” he confirmed. Jaishankar noted that while there would likely be considerable media attention due to the nature of the India-Pakistan relationship, his focus remains on the multilateral summit.

“I want to make it clear—I am not going there to discuss India-Pakistan relations. My visit is about representing India at the SCO, and as a courteous person, I will conduct myself accordingly,” he stressed.

The External Affairs Minister also pointed out that the summit is being held in Islamabad this year because Pakistan, like India, is a recent member of the SCO.