ISLAMABAD – Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday arrived in Goa to attend the meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting.
FM Bhutto, who leads the Pakistani delegation during the maiden India visit, was welcomed by the Indian officials in Goa. Bilawal, 34, was received by Indian high-ranking officials in the neighboring country including the deputy high commissioner of Pakistan. During his stay, the PPP leader is likely to deliver a speech.
Sharing an update on his visit, the Foreign Minister said he will be looking forward to engage in bilateral talks with those nations who are part of this organization.
Statement by FM @BBhuttoZardari on arriving in #Goa to attend #SCO CFM. #PakFMatSCO pic.twitter.com/n6AC21JlhL
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 4, 2023
Bilawal said his decision to attend this meeting illustrated 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”, the foreign minister said in a tweet.
Before his departure, Bilawal said that he was looking forward to “engaging bilaterally” countries that were part of the SCO. It is pertinent to mention that Bilawal’s visit to India is the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to New Delhi in over a decade.
The invitation to attend the meeting came from the current Chair of SCO CFM, Dr S. Jaishankar, Minister for External Affairs of India. “During my visit, which is focused exclusively on the SCO, I look forward to constructive discussions with my counterparts from friendly countries,” he said.
In a video message alongside his tweet, the foreign minister also stated that he was looking forward to “engaging bilaterally” with countries that were part of the organisation.
Foreign Office (FO) said that Bilawal had departed for Goa from Karachi. Details of the delegation accompanying the foreign minister were not immediately available. He earlier took into confidence heads of multiple political parties — including coalition partners and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) chief — via telephonic conversations.
The foreign minister telephoned Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Ameer Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP) President Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq and National Party (NP) leader Tahir Bizenjo.
Advertisement ‘No bilateral meeting with Indian leaders’ Last week, FM Bilawal dismissed speculations surrounding his India visit and clarified that it should not be “misconstrued in terms of bilateral ties” between the two neighboring countries.
Bilawal said that he did not make any request for arranging a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to the organisation, Bilawal had said that they cannot let India further isolate Pakistan.
