Skip to Main content

11.64°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Sports Videos 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

alberta-premier-danielle-smith-to-skip-first-nations-first-ministers-meeting

AlbertaOct 26, 2026

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to Skip First Nations–First Ministers Meeting

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will not attend the First Nations–First Ministers meeting being held in Ottawa today. Speaking at a separate news conference on Saturday, Smith said her government would send representatives to the meeting in her place. The meeting comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney works to fast-track approvals and development of major projects across Canada, including a proposed pipeline from Alberta to the British Columbia coast. Meanwhile, First Nations leaders have warned that rushing project approvals could interfere with their rights and potentially lead to legal challe

conservatives-introduce-bill-to-lift-b-c-north-coast-oil-tanker-ban

Conservatives Introduce Bill to Lift B.C. North Coast Oil Tanker Ban

Canada’s main opposition party has introduced a bill in the House of Commons to lift the oil tanker ban along British Columbia’s North Coast. The bill is set to enter its second reading this week. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and other opposition MPs have also written to Prime Minister Mark Carney, urging him to remove the ban. The Conservatives argue that the restriction forces Canada to sell its oil to the United States at lower prices, benefiting American refineries while costing Canada billions of dollars in potential revenue. According to the party, Canada could easily export

AlbertaOct 26, 2026

Alberta Referendum Vote Count Completed, Official Results to Be Released October 29

Elections Alberta has announced that the counting of votes for the Alberta referendum has been completed. According to Elections Alberta, election staff manually counted more than 20 million ballot papers during the referendum, marking the highest number of ballots ever counted by hand in any electoral contest in Canadian history. The department confirmed that the official results will be released on October 29. It also said the budget detailing the total cost of the referendum will be presented to the provincial legislature in late November. The referendum was held on October 19, with a major

congress-to-hold-hisaab-mango-rally-in-sangrur-on-november-4-rahul-gandhi-to-attend

IndiaOct 26, 2026

Congress to Hold ‘Hisaab Mango’ Rally in Sangrur on November 4,Rahul Gandhi to Attend

The Congress will hold a massive ‘Hisaab Mango’ (Demand Accountability) rally in Sangrur on November 4, with party leader Rahul Gandhi expected to attend, ahead of the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections. The rally will mark the launch of the party’s campaign for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. Party leaders K.C. Venugopal and Sachin Pilot shared the information on Monday. All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said he would hold meetings with senior Punjab Congress leaders, district presidents and other party leaders to discuss preparations for the Assem

CanadaOct 26, 2026

Obama Slams Trump Over Trade War With Canada, Warns Tariffs Will Raise Prices

Former U.S. President Barack Obama has sharply criticized Donald Trump over his trade war with Canada, calling it disappointing that America’s closest ally has been targeted. Speaking at a Democratic Party campaign rally in Detroit on Sunday, Obama said Trump’s tariffs were working against his own promises to lower prices for Americans. He highlighted the automotive sector, where manufacturers in both countries rely heavily on cross-border supplies of components, warning that Trump’s tariffs would drive up costs for American consumers. Obama also praised Canadians as some of the best peo

Related News

Trump Says U.S. and Canada Are Close to Trade Deal, Claims Washington Holds All the Cards

Trump Says U.S. and Canada Are Close to Trade Deal, Claims Washington Holds All the Cards

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Washington and Ottawa are close to reaching a trade deal, while asserting that the United States holds all the cards in the negotiations. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump said Canada was working very hard to secure an agreement with the U.S., adding that the final decision rests with Washington. Earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said at a press conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, that Canada remained in regular contact with the United States and was ready to negotiate in good faith to reach a trade agreement that serves the intere

Four Palestinians Killed in Israeli Strikes and Gunfire in Gaza

Four Palestinians Killed in Israeli Strikes and Gunfire in Gaza

At least four Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli strikes and shooting incidents in the Gaza Strip on Thursday. According to Gaza health officials, two people were killed in an attack on a car in Gaza City. A Palestinian cyclist was killed in an attack in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, while a woman died in gunfire near the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incidents. Israel has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire by rearming and carrying out attacks. Hamas has rejected the allegations, accusing Israel of undermining the

Landmine Blast, Gunfire Kill 15 in Nigeria, Including 10 Soldiers

Landmine Blast, Gunfire Kill 15 in Nigeria, Including 10 Soldiers

At least 15 people, including 10 Nigerian soldiers, were killed in a landmine explosion and gunfire targeting a military convoy in Borno State, Nigeria. The victims also included five members of the Civilian Joint Task Force. Six soldiers were injured in the attack and were taken to hospital. According to reports, soldiers from a battalion in Gamboru were patrolling a road between Gamboru Ngala and neighbouring Cameroon on Saturday when a pickup truck struck a landmine suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram militants. Eight soldiers travelling in the vehicle were killed on the spot. The

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

Broadcasting Notice of Consultation

BC Children's Hospital