In a surprising turn of events, Indian Foreign Minister Jayashankar has announced his decision to attend the upcoming SCO summit in Islamabad, effectively ending weeks of political speculations over the ongoing deadlock between the estranged neighbours. Some, like PML(N) Irfan Siddiqui, have praised the development as a step towards improving bilateral relations, while others caution against pinning too much hope on any ice-breaker.
Ruling out talks with Pakistan, Mr Jayashankar also seems to have added credence to fears of implications for the already strained ties. India has, on numerous occasions, made its priorities clear when it comes to building bridges, no matter what the cost or the expectations from multilateral platforms. Last May, Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s visit to a SCO meeting in Goa coincided with Jaishankar’s continuous blame-mongering for aiding and abetting militant organisations.
Notwithstanding the potential impact of the upcoming SCO summit on regional stability and Pakistan’s standing in the neighbourhood, PTI’s Barrister Saif has taken a rather bizarre approach to welcoming the diplomatic exchange. Inviting the Indian foreign minister to address heated protests during his time in Pakistan, the advisor to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has managed to attract bad press, with parallels being drawn with past instances of politicians seeking foreign intervention for purely domestic issues.
As if the main point of contention regarding his party’s choice of timing and location for the protest movement was not enough to stir a frenzy, the wisdom in antagonizing a key diplomatic figure at a time when efforts are being made to improve bilateral ties remains unclear.
The decision to engage in diplomatic exchanges, even amidst domestic political challenges and regional tensions, reflects a willingness from both sides to explore avenues for dialogue and cooperation, even if it means pursuing a bare minimal agenda. Still, before hoping for New Delhi to reciprocate the olive branches in line with its goal of a conflict-free South Asia, the state would do well to consider the barrage of mixed signals its ruling elite keeps sending. *