ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari arrived in Indian port city of Goa to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), becoming the first senior leader from Pakistan to visit India in almost 12 years.
His visit to India to attend the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting comes amid continuing strain in ties between the two countries on a host of issues including long-standing Kashmir dispute.
The Pakistan foreign minister was received at the airport in Goa by JP Singh, the joint secretary heading the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division at the external affairs ministry.
In 2011, Pakistan’s the then foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited India and held talks with her the then counterpart SM Krishna.
“I am very happy to reach Goa to lead the Pakistani delegation at the SCO Foreign Ministers meeting. I expect the SCO CFM meeting to be successful,” Bhutto-Zardari told reporters.
Though there was a buzz in the media about Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s two-day visit to Goa, both the Indian and the Pakistani side appeared to keep each other at arm’s length.
People familiar with official engagements on the sidelines of the SCO conclave said there is no plan for a bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari so far as there was no request for it from the Pakistani side.
In a tweet with a caption ‘Salaam, from Goa India’, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said: “Assalamualaikum, we have reached Goa for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet.” “I will first hold a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister. Then, will hold a meeting with Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister. I will attend the dinner hosted for all the foreign ministers…,” he said in a short video.
Before leaving for Goa, the foreign minister said, “My decision to attend this meeting illustrates Pakistan’s strong commitment to the charter of the SCO.” “During my visit, which is focused exclusively on the SCO, I look forward to constructive discussions with my counterparts from friendly countries,” he said.
The Pakistan foreign minister’s visit to India is the first such trip from Islamabad since 2011 as Khar visited New Delhi that year. She is currently serving as the minister of state for foreign affairs.
In May 2014, former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited India to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony.
Read more: Foreign Minister Bilawal leaves for India to participate in SCO meeting
