Srinagar: As Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar prepares to visit Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference expressed optimism that this visit might herald a new beginning in Indo-Pak relations. Set against a backdrop of prolonged tensions, this marks a significant diplomatic engagement, being the first visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to Pakistan in nine years.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting scheduled for October 15-16 in Islamabad. This visit is seen as a crucial step towards easing the frosty ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Tanvir Sadiq, NC Chief spokesperson and communication incharge, in a statement from Srinagar, highlighted the importance of this visit not just for bilateral relations but as a beacon of hope for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “It is a good beginning… I am very hopeful, especially the people of Jammu and Kashmir are hopeful that this will break the ice and this will be the start of a new dawn,” Sadiq said.
He further expressed hopes that the discussions would extend beyond rhetoric to address substantive issues between India and Pakistan, contributing to a semblance of normalcy and resolving longstanding differences.
The SCO, established in 2001 in Shanghai by six founding members, including China and Russia, has expanded to include nine Member States and three Observer States, playing a pivotal role in regional diplomacy and security.