ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted foreign dignitaries, including India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, during a dinner marking the opening day of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on Tuesday.
The SCO includes member states such as China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, alongside 16 additional countries acting as observers or dialogue partners.
As the current Chair of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to lead the summit discussions.
Prior to the dinner, footage revealed PM Shehbaz welcoming dignitaries, including Jaishankar, with whom he engaged in a brief conversation.
Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan marks his first trip in nearly a decade. State-run PTV broadcast images of him being welcomed by Ilyas Mehmood Nizami, the Director General for South Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with other Pakistani officials upon his arrival at Nur Khan Airbase.
Jaishankar’s own post on X regarding his arrival primarily focused on the SCO summit.
Jaishankar clarified that he would refrain from discussing bilateral relations during his visit. According to his foreign ministry, he is there to represent India at the summit, which he characterized as an active engagement in the SCO format.
Although his visit will not be brief as initially expected, reports suggest Jaishankar will spend less than 24 hours in Pakistan before returning to India, as noted by the Times of India.
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Chairman of the PPP and former foreign minister, said the SCO regulations prevent country representatives from addressing bilateral issues during the summit.
“There are other forums available for discussing bilateral matters,” he stated.
In response to inquiries about the situation involving India in Canada, Bilawal remarked that the allegations against the Indian government are serious. However, he emphasized that, as Pakistan is hosting the event, he would honor the tradition of respecting guests and refrain from making extensive comments.
Arrival of State Heads and Ministers Ahead of the Summit Chinese Premier Li Qiang is also attending the summit, marking the first visit by a Chinese premier to Pakistan in 11 years.
Countries such as China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will be represented by their prime ministers, while Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref is set to participate.
Additionally, Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene of Mongolia, which holds observer status, and Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Raşit Meredow will join the summit discussions.
