Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will travel to Goa today to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.
Bilawal’s visit has sparked varied reactions in India, particularly due to Bhutto-Zardari’s criticisms of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies and treatment of India’s minorities.
This marks the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to India since Hina Rabbani Khar’s trip in July 2011 for peace talks.
Pakistan’s involvement in the SCO meeting demonstrates its commitment to the organization and the region’s importance to its foreign policy.
The visit comes amid strained relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Pakistan has already stated that its foreign minister will not meet with his Indian counterpart during the visit. Bhutto-Zardari has also downplayed the trip’s significance, stating it should not be seen as a sign of improving bilateral relations.
He clarified that he did not request a meeting with Prime Minister Modi and stressed that the visit should be considered in the context of the SCO, which includes Russia and China. However, the foreign minister is expected to meet with representatives from friendly countries on the sidelines of the event.
India has invited the foreign ministers of China, Russia, and other Central Asian nations to the SCO meeting. In addition, Iran, the organization’s newest member, will attend the meeting as a full member for the first time.
