India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spent his Wednesday morning taking a walk and planting a tree ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad.
Jaishankar shared a picture of him via X doing a morning walk with the diplomats of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
He also put up a post showing him planting an Arjuna sapling in the presence of Indian diplomats there on the premises of the High Commission.
The minister is in Islamabad for SCO Summit, becoming the first External Affairs Minister to visit Pakistan in nine years. The last External Affairs Minister to visit Pakistan was Late Sushma Swaraj.
On Tuesday, S Jaishankar landed at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi in Pakistan. Later that day, right before SCO dinner PM Shehbaz met S. Jaishankar.
S Jaishankar says no to bilateral talks
The foreign minister has said he would not discuss bilateral relations during his visit.
Jaishankar would “represent India at the meeting”, his foreign ministry said, adding that the country “remains actively engaged in the SCO format”.
“Even though it won’t be a fleeting visit as was previously thought, Jaishankar will likely spend not more than 24 hours in Pakistan before flying back to India,” India media reported.
PPP Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari later said that according to the rules of the SCO, country representatives cannot talk about bilateral issues during the summit.
“There are other forums where countries can talk about their bilateral matters,” Bilawal said.
