The upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Foreign Ministers’ meeting is likely to see the first-ever in-person interaction between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Pakistan’s counterpart Bilawal Bhutto, as the two ministers will be sharing the table this week in Uzbekistan. Jaishankar may interact with Bhutto to give a strong signal on the issue of terrorism, reminding him that terror and talks cannot go together, sources told The Daily Guardian Review. “Jaishankar knows that Pakistan is preparing to push its Kashmir agenda when Bhutto gets an opportunity to talk with the Indian foreign minister,” sources said. “So, with this in view, EAM may allow a personal chit-chat with Bhutto, but he will use the opportunity to talk tough on terror,” sources added.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks on PoK have already given a strong signal to Pakistan on how India is going to deal with it in days to come. Ahead of Jaishankar’s interactions in Tashkent where Pakistan is set to rake up the Kashmir issue, Rajnath said that Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) is an integral part of India. The Defence Minister’s comments have created ripples in the security and strategic establishments of Pakistan, which is planning to use the SCO platform to push its Kashmir agenda as well, diplomats say. Islamabad on Sunday termed Rajnath’s PoK remarks as unwarranted and unacceptable.
Officials say that India will continue to attack Pakistan over PoK and terrorism. “If Jaishankar holds interactions with Bhutto while sharing a table, it does not mean that India has relented or is showing some relaxation in any manner on the issue of terrorism. Rather, EAM will continue to mount pressure on Pakistani foreign minister for action against terrorists and their camps in Pakistan,” officials maintain.
“Jaishankar will sit face to face for a direct conversation with Bhutto. But there is no indication that there will be a bilateral meeting between India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the SCO meeting,” said sources. But there is every likelihood of Jaishankar and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi holding a separate meeting on the margins of the event. However, Jaishankar is not going to give a similar opportunity to Bhutto as of now, sources said. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) FMs conference is being held in Tashkent. Pakistan is preparing a brief summary for its foreign minister on Kashmir, sources say. The interaction is likely to be held on 28-29 July.