S Jaishankar Takes A Stroll At Indian High Commission In Pakistan, Plants Arjuna Sapling

Islamabad, Oct 16: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar took a morning walk with the team from the High Commission of India in Pakistan and planted a sapling, promoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign Wednesday.

Sharing the moment on X, EAM Jaishankar posted, "A morning walk together with colleagues of Team High Commission of India in Pakistan in our High Commission campus."

He also planted an Arjuna sapling within the High Commission premises as part of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign that encourages tree planting in honour of mothers.

The External Affairs Minister is in Islamabad to participate in the 23rd Meeting of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Council of Heads of Government (CHG), which kicked off Tuesday evening with a welcome dinner hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

This marks the first visit of an Indian External Affairs Minister to Pakistan since the late Sushma Swaraj attended the Heart of Asia Conference in Islamabad in December 2015.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Indian delegation, led by EAM Jaishankar, arrived at Rawalpindi's Nur Khan airbase.

India has consistently emphasised that better relations with Pakistan are contingent upon an atmosphere free from terrorism and violence.

Ahead of the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, "The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the organisation. External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting. India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework."

The second day of the meeting will commence with Shehbaz Sharif welcoming the visiting leaders at Islamabad's Jinnah Convention Centre. The proceedings, including Sharif's opening remarks and a group photograph, will be followed by discussions and signing various documents.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming will address the media. A luncheon hosted by the Pakistani Prime Minister will conclude the meeting.

In addition to EAM Jaishankar, the meeting will see participation from high-level representatives of the other SCO member states, including the Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

The First Vice President of Iran and the Prime Minister of Mongolia (Observer State) , along with the Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan (Special Guest) will also attend the meeting.

The discussions are expected to cover economic cooperation, environmental issues, and socio-cultural linkages among the member states, alongside a review of the SCO's performance. Several important organisational decisions will be adopted, and the budget for the organisation will be approved.

Despite no bilateral engagement between India and Pakistan scheduled on the sidelines of the summit, EAM Jaishankar's arrival in Islamabad has been highlighted by Pakistani political leaders.

Notably, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif invited EAM Jaishankar to attend a protest rally in the capital.

"We would also invite Mr Jaishankar to address our anti-government protest and see for himself how strong Pakistan's democracy is," Saif said.

(IANS)