Pakistan's Ahsan Iqbal: We Cannot Propose Bilateral Meeting with India at SCO Summit

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Islamabad stated that India must decide if it wants a bilateral meeting with Pakistan during the event. Pakistan's Planning and Development Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, mentioned that as hosts, they would follow the preferences of their guests regarding any such meetings.

Iqbal clarified that Pakistan cannot initiate a proposal for a bilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan. He emphasised that they would be pleased to accommodate if guests express interest in such discussions. Both countries have already dismissed the possibility of bilateral talks between Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, during the SCO summit.

India-Pakistan Relations

When asked about restoring trade ties with India, Iqbal avoided a direct answer. Instead, he suggested both nations should adhere to the Lahore Declaration's principles. The declaration was signed on 21 February 1999 after discussions between then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. It marked a significant moment in India-Pakistan relations.

"If we go to the spirit of Lahore declaration, I think there would be no problem that we cannot solve together," Iqbal stated. Jaishankar's visit is viewed positively in Islamabad as it marks the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years amid ongoing tensions over Kashmir and cross-border terrorism.

Historical Context

The last Indian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj. She attended the Heart of Asia conference on Afghanistan in Islamabad from 8 to 9 December 2015. Relations between India and Pakistan worsened after India's airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot, Pakistan, following the Pulwama attack in February 2019.

Tensions escalated further when India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status on 5 August 2019, dividing it into two union territories. In response, Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic relations with India. Despite these challenges, India maintains its desire for normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan but insists that Islamabad must ensure an environment free from terror and hostility for meaningful engagement.

The external affairs minister will lead India's delegation at the SCO Council of Heads of Government summit on Wednesday. This visit is seen as a potential step towards easing strained relations between the two neighbouring countries.