Jaishankar welcomes Pakistan's Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for SCO meeting | WATCH

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday became the first Pakistani Foreign Minister to visit India in almost 12 years when he arrived in Goa to attend an SCO meet.

Published on: May 5, 2023, 10:46:39 IST

By HT News Desk

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External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday welcomed his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The two exchanged pleasantries and posed for photographs before Bhutto-Zardari headed for the crucial meeting in Goa. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is the first Pakistani foreign minister to visit India in almost 12 years amid continuing strain in ties between the two countries on a host of issues, including cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar with his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Jaishankar also welcomed SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming and foreign ministers of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan for the CFM meeting in Goa.

On Thursday evening, Bhtutto-Zardari attended a reception hosted by Jaishankar for the visiting foreign ministers. While a few people who are part of Bhutto-Zardari's entourage claimed Jaishankar shook hands with his Pakistani counterpart as he did with others, there was no confirmation of it by the Indian side, according to a PTI report.

Earlier, the Pakistan foreign minister was received at the airport in Goa by JP Singh, the joint secretary heading the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division at the external affairs ministry.

"I am very happy to reach Goa to lead the Pakistani delegation at the SCO Foreign Ministers meeting. I expect the SCO CFM meeting to be successful," Bhutto-Zardari told reporters.

In a tweet with the caption 'Salaam, from Goa India', Bhutto-Zardari said: "Assalamualaikum, we have reached Goa for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet".

"I will first hold a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister. Then, will hold a meeting with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister. I will attend the dinner hosted for all the foreign ministers..," he said in a short video.

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