Skip to Main content

10.4°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

Oct 4, 2024 1:13 PM - Connect Newsroom - Mandeep Kaur

Jaishankar to visit Pakistan for SCO Summit, first Indian ministerial visit in nine years

Share On

indias-foreign-minister-s-jaishankar-will-go-to-pakistan

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will visit Pakistan to attend the SCO Summit on October 15–16. (Photo: Facebook/Dr S. Jaishankar)

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will travel to Pakistan next week to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit scheduled for October 15–16, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Friday. This will mark the first visit by an Indian minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years.

Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Jaishankar will represent India at the regional meeting, which brings together foreign ministers and heads of state from member countries to discuss security, economic cooperation, and regional connectivity.

Pakistan had formally invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the summit on August 29, extending the same invitation to all SCO member nations. However, India has decided that Jaishankar will lead its delegation.

The last high-level Indian visit to Pakistan took place in 2015, when Prime Minister Modi made an unannounced stop in Lahore to meet then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Later that year, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also visited Islamabad for the Heart of Asia conference. No Indian minister has visited Pakistan since then.

The upcoming summit is being closely watched in diplomatic circles, as tensions between the two neighbours remain high despite both sides participating in multilateral forums such as the SCO.

Latest news

IndiaApr 24, 2026

Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal join BJP after quitting AAP

Rajya Sabha MPs Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal and Sandeep Pathak, who announced their resignations from AAP, joined the BJP in the presence of party chief Nitin Nabin in Delhi on Friday. The remaining four MPs – former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Rajinder Gupta and Vikram Sahney will join the BJP later. Chadha, Mittal and Pathak, received bouquets from Nabin and greeted other BJP leaders present at the party office.

canadian-astronaut-joshua-kutryk-assigned-to-first-space-mission-aboard-spacex-crew-13

CanadaApr 24, 2026

Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk assigned to first space mission aboard SpaceX Crew-13

Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk is scheduled to travel to the International Space Station later this year as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission, according to a Canadian Space Agency news release. The Canadian Space Agency says the flight will mark Kutryk’s first mission to space. He is expected to launch no earlier than mid-September 2026 from Florida. Kutryk will be joined by NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. NASA says the flight represents the 13th crew rotation carried out by SpaceX under its Commercial Crew Progra

IndiaApr 23, 2026

Amritpal Singh formally arrested in Ajnala violence case after NSA detention ends

Amritsar Rural Police have formally arrested Khadoor Sahib MP and ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh in connection with the Ajnala violence case, following the expiry of his detention under the National Security Act. According to a police statement, the arrest was carried out immediately after the NSA detention period lapsed. Singh was produced before a sub-divisional court in Ajnala via video conferencing from Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam, where he remains lodged. Police told the court they require extended custody to continue their investigation, including recovery of weapons and

three-arrested-after-alleged-14-000-pokémon-card-robbery-in-vancouver

Three arrested after alleged $14,000 Pokémon card robbery in Vancouver

Vancouver police say three teenagers have been arrested following an alleged robbery involving high-value Pokémon cards arranged through an online marketplace. According to a Vancouver Police Department release, officers responded shortly after 8:00 p.m. Tuesday to a robbery in progress near East King Edward Avenue and Ontario Street. Investigators say a man attempting to sell two Pokémon cards, each valued at $7,000, was bear-sprayed during the transaction. Police allege the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle with the cards but were intercepted a short time later in Burnaby near Macpherso

westjet-raises-checked-baggage-fees-following-air-canada-citing-industry-pressures

CanadaApr 23, 2026

WestJet raises checked baggage fees following Air Canada, citing industry pressures

WestJet says it will increase checked baggage fees starting Thursday, adding new costs for air travellers across its network. The change follows a similar move by Air Canada announced last week. According to a WestJet statement, passengers checking bags at the airport will pay an additional $10 for each of the first two checked bags. Fees for overweight baggage will also rise, with increases of up to $50 depending on weight. The airline attributed the decision to “global conditions” and shifting trends in the aviation sector, but did not provide a detailed cost breakdown in its announcemen

Related News

Trump says U.S. pauses strikes on Iran following Pakistan request

Trump says U.S. pauses strikes on Iran following Pakistan request

U.S. President Donald Trump says the United States has agreed to extend a ceasefire with Iran for an unspecified period after a request from Pakistan’s leadership. According to Trump’s statement, the decision follows an appeal from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir. Trump said the request was made to allow time for Iran’s leadership to reach internal consensus and prepare a unified proposal. He described Iran’s government as lacking cohesion at present, which he said complicates negotiations. In response, Trump said he has ordered U.S. forces to tempo

Eight children killed in Shreveport domestic shooting; suspect shot dead by police

Eight children killed in Shreveport domestic shooting; suspect shot dead by police

Eight children between the ages of one and 14 were killed in a shooting described by police as a domestic disturbance in Shreveport early Sunday, according to local authorities. Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said officers responded around 6 a.m. to reports of gunfire and found multiple victims across three locations connected to the incident. A total of 10 people were shot, Smith said, with the eight children confirmed dead. Police said the suspected shooter fled the scene in a vehicle and was later fatally shot by officers following a pursuit. Authorities have not released the suspect?

7.4-magnitude earthquake off northern Japan prompts tsunami alert

7.4-magnitude earthquake off northern Japan prompts tsunami alert

A powerful offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 struck near Japan’s northern coast on Monday afternoon, prompting a tsunami alert for parts of the region. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake occurred at approximately 4:53 p.m. local time off the Sanriku coast, at a depth of about 10 kilometres beneath the seabed. Authorities issued a tsunami alert shortly after the tremor, warning of potentially hazardous sea-level changes along affected coastal areas. Public broadcaster NHK reported that waves of up to three metres could reach parts of the northeastern

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital