'Start towards better relations': Indian journalist on Pak-India ties

The reports about the breaking of ice between Pakistan and India officials during the recently held Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government Summit has been the talk of the town since the Indian External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar landed in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Pakistan, which hosted a successful diplomatic event in the federal capital, was praised by the India minister for the "hospitality and courtesies" in his departure note on Wednesday, with gratitude extended towards Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy premier Ishaq Dar, who is also Jaishankar's counterpart.

The role of New Delhi, in this regard, has been positive, too, as it ensured the minister's participation at the high-level summit — termed "productive" by Jaishankar.

"Signed eight outcome documents. India made a positive and constructive contribution to the deliberations," the minister wrote on X.

The Indian minister earlier also shook hands with PM Shehbaz following his arrival at the Jinnah Convention Centre — moments before the summit commenced.

Following his significant visit, Geeta Mohan, the executive editor of India Today and an expert of diplomatic affairs, wrote that there were "no fireworks" during the Indian FM's visit for the event.

"The minister highlighted the need for 'mutual trust', 'friendship' and 'good neighbourliness'," she wrote in a dispatch of the event for her publication.

Speaking on Geo News programme 'Capital Talk', Mohan said that this is the first instance in a long time that the atmosphere was "cordial" right from the time Jaishankar landed in Pakistan to when he departed.

"The statements issued from both sides reflected that [the situation] tempered down. We later received news that the leadership had a discussion — Jaishankar had a chat with Shehbaz Sharif sahib — during lunch at the waiting room and in the hallways," said Mohan.

She then highlighted that a Geo News video also showed a discussion between the Indian minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.

"This was not just an informal 'chit chat', but a little more than that has happened. It is important to understand and find out what was discussed. It is probably a start towards better relations," the journalist said.

Mohan maintained that the Indian FM, in his speech, touched upon cross-border terrorism and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) without naming Pakistan and China in either subjects.

The India Today journalist said that the governments of countries also play a huge role in maintaining ties and that the relations between Pakistan and India during former premier Imran Khan's rule had grown "acrimonious".

During the coalition government in 2023, on the other hand, when Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was visiting India as the foreign minister to attend a SCO conclave hosted by India, the ties were at a point that he did not even get a chance to post anything positive on social media — even though he was the first Pakistani FM to visit India in 12 years at the time.

Mohan insisted that the take of the Sharif family has played a major role in improving relations between the two rival nations.

It should be noted that Jaishankar was the first foreign minister of the arch-rival country to visit Pakistan in nearly a decade.

Speaking about the Indian FM visit to Pakistan in nearly 10 years, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar termed it an "ice breaker".

"Neither us nor them requested for a bilateral meeting... but I believe his arrival here is an ice breaker," AFP quoted the information minister as saying.

"Yesterday, when all the leaders were being welcomed and there were handshakes, I think positive images were sent out globally."