SCO FM meet: Pak Foreign minister clears his agenda ahead of India visit today, says visit 'focused exclusively on the SCO'

Pakistan's foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari left for India on Thursday to attend a key multilateral meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation scheduled to take place in Goa on May 4 and 5. Bhutto Zardari, who would be the first foreign minister to visit India since 2011, is leading the Pakistan delegation to the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Beijing-based Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

New Delhi: Prior to his arrival at the SCO foreign ministers meeting which is taking place in Goa under India'a chairmanship, Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that his country's decision to attend this meeting illustrates Pakistan’s strong commitment to the charter of SCO. Bhutto is set to arrive in Goa later today. In a video post on his Twitter handle, the Pakistan Foreign minister said, "On my way to Goa, India. Will be leading the Pakistan delegation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization CFM. My decision to attend this meeting illustrates Pakistan’s strong commitment to the charter of SCO". "During my visit, which is focused exclusively on the SCO, I look forward to constructive discussions with my counterparts from friendly countries", he added.

His visit to India comes at a time when India-Pakistan ties have been at their lowest, especially after the abrogation of Article 370. The relationship turned sour after the Pulwama terror attack. Notably, in August 2014, India canceled talks with Pakistan’s foreign minister after the Pakistani high commissioner in India met with Kashmiri separatist leaders. Since then, the resumption of peace talks between India and Pakistan has remained one of the serious matters of discussion in the international community.

Commenting on the visit, Former diplomat Anil Trigunanyat and a strategic expert said, "More of the same ..no great shakes ..at least overtly". Meanwhile, just two days ahead of the SCO foreign ministers meeting scheduled to take place on Friday, Pakistan was seen changing its narrative about the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan's Minister of State for foreign affairs Hina Rabbani Khan said, " Kashmir is not a Pakistan problem. Kash mir is a problem. It does not become a problem if we say it is a problem. It is a problem because we recognize (it at) the highest international body UNSC as a dispute between the two counties and this dispute was not taken to the security council by Pakistan, it was taken by India".

Earlier, Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Said that his visit to India for the SCO FM meet should not be seen in terms of bilateral ties, indicating the Kashmir issue won't be raised.

Pakistan has time and again raked up the Kashmir issue in different international forums, to which India has reacted and asked Islamabad to stay out of its internal matter, reiterating that Kashmir is and will remain an integral part of India. Last month, EAM Jaishankar said that it is difficult for India to resume dialogue with Pakistan as it continued to practice cross-border terrorism.

"It is for us very difficult to engage with a neighbor which practices cross-border terrorism against us. We have always said that they have to deliver on the commitment not to encourage, sponsor, and carry out cross-border terrorism. We continue to hope that one day we would reach that stage", EAM Jaishankar said. He made his remarks at a joint press briefing in Panama City when he was asked if there is any possibility of resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan.

Moreover, no bilaterals are planned between EAM Jaishankar and Pak foreign minister on the sidelines of the SCO foreign ministers meeting in Goa today. Now it remains to be seen if there is a probability of a thaw in ties between India and Pakistan. This will be the first-ever visit of a Pakistan foreign minister to India in a decade. The visit is also a first from Pakistan after India decides abrogation of Article 370.