Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar's visit to Pakistan has captured significant attention. Arriving on Tuesday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting from October 15-16, the foreign minister participated in a dinner hosted by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shortly after his landing in Islamabad. The brief handshake and conversation between the two leaders sparked widespread discussion. Pakistani media reports it as a '20-second meeting' marking a resumption of engagement between India and Pakistan after a decade of silence.
After his address at the SCO Summit, Foreign Minister Jaishankar shared several photographs on the social media platform X, one of which shows him shaking hands with the Pakistani Prime Minister.
The Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune headlined their article on the meeting, stating, 'After a decade of silence, a brief 20-second encounter occurred between Pakistan and India at the SCO Summit.'
Source: aajtak
Referring to the pre-dinner handshake, the newspaper stated, 'The leaders exchanged brief greetings during a meeting lasting less than 20 seconds. Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained for nearly a decade. Jaishankar's visit is the first by an Indian minister in about ten years. In 2015, former Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj attended a conference on Afghanistan in Islamabad, accompanied by then-Foreign Secretary Jaishankar.'
Pakistani media highlighted a surprise meeting that same year when India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Despite numerous previous peace efforts, dialogue between the two countries stalled. Prior to arriving in Islamabad, Jaishankar clarified that his visit was solely for the SCO Summit, dismissing any prospects for bilateral talks.
'Other Leaders Greeted by Senior Officials but Jaishankar…'
Geo TV News Network described Jaishankar's visit to Pakistan as rare, noting, 'Jaishankar landed at an airbase near Islamabad Tuesday afternoon, welcomed by a lower-level delegation compared to senior ministers who greeted other leaders. Hours later, PM Shehbaz Sharif welcomed him, during which both leaders exchanged handshakes and maintained serious expressions.'
The newspaper elaborated on the deteriorated relations between the countries, especially post-2019, after the Indian Modi government revoked Article 370 in Kashmir, leading Pakistan to suspend bilateral trade and limit diplomatic ties with India.
Quoting former ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, Geo News reported on India's participation in the summit: 'I believe India's multilateral visit won’t thaw the ice between India and Pakistan. Our stalemate is deep-rooted, and such meetings won't bring improvement.'
'Ice Melting in India-Pakistan Relations…'
Another newspaper, Pakistan Today, interpreted Jaishankar and Sharif's handshake as a thaw in frosty relations.
Source: aajtak
The paper reported, 'During a banquet organized for Shanghai Cooperation Organization leaders, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar shook hands—an unusual meeting between leaders of the rival neighboring countries. Jaishankar's trip marks the first by an Indian minister in nearly ten years.'
What Did Pakistani Leaders Say About Jaishankar's Visit?
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto welcomed Foreign Minister Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan. PPP, an ally in Shehbaz Sharif’s government, notes that Bilawal Bhutto's father, Asif Ali Zardari, is the President of Pakistan. In the previous government, Bilawal Bhutto served as Foreign Minister, but this time holds no cabinet post.
Commenting on the visit, Bhutto said, 'The SCO progresses successfully because it doesn’t allow bilateral relations to dominate its agenda, unlike SAARC, which failed for this reason. We need to initiate dialogue but also address Kashmir and terrorism issues raised frequently by India. Both countries are also impacted by climate change, necessitating dialogue.'
Last week, Mariyam Nawaz, niece of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister of Punjab, advocated for 'climate diplomacy' between India and Pakistan, emphasizing the importance of dialogue on climate issues affecting both sides of the border.
Pakistan's Minister for Climate Change, Sherry Rehman, told 'The Hindu' that expectations of improved relations from Jaishankar’s visit are low. She commented, 'There seems to be little interest from the Indian Foreign Minister in breaking the ice in bilateral relations.'
How Different is This Year's 'Handshake' from Last Year's 'Namaste'
This year's handshake between the Foreign Minister and Pakistani Prime Minister becomes a focal point of discussion, as it contrasts with the bitterness visible in previous public engagements between the countries’ foreign ministers just a year before.
Last May, Bilawal Bhutto visited India for the SCO Foreign Ministers' meeting during which Jaishankar avoided a handshake with the Pakistani Minister, opting instead for a 'Namaste.' Bhutto's visit concluded on a sour note, with Jaishankar targeting Pakistan over terrorism and labeling Bilawal a 'spokesperson for the terrorism industry.'
