The Ministry of External Affairs announced yesterday that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will lead India’s delegation at the SCO Summit. The MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced, “EAM Jaishankar will lead a delegation to Pakistan for the SCO summit which will be held in Islamabad on 15th and 16th October.”
This news comes amid the recent Zakir Naik’s ‘warm welcome’ and the Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif’s address at the UNGA. The announcement indicates that India continues to stand firm on its stance with respect to Pakistan. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending the SCO Summit despite a formal invitation.
Earlier Mr Jaiswal had condemned the ‘Warm Welcome’ of Zakir Naik in Pakistan. He had said, “We have seen reports that he (Zakir Naik) has been feted into Pakistan and warmly welcomed there. It is not surprising for us that an Indian fugitive has received a high-level welcome in Pakistan. It is disappointing and condemnable but not surprising.”
#WATCH | MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "We have seen reports that he (Zakir Naik) has been feted into Pakistan and warmly welcomed there. It is not surprising for us that an Indian fugitive has received a high-level welcome in Pakistan. It is disappointing and… pic.twitter.com/ZqWjr2ayln
— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2024
He expressed disappointment at the neighbouring country’s actions and said it was unclear what documents and passport was the radical Islamist preacher travelled from Malaysia to Pakistan.
Naik was residing in Malaysia for several years and India had raised this matter with the Malaysian government. Last year, PM Modi had met Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim and it seems India had created pressure with respect Naik. Observers believe that it is only after this, that Naik would have decided to leave Malaysia and move to Pakistan, where he has clearly received a warm welcome.
Jaishankar Warned Pakistan On Terrorism…
Speaking at UNGA, EAM Jaishankar said, “Many countries get left behind due to circumstances beyond their control, but some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences. A premier example is our neighbour, Pakistan.”
He further added, “When this polity instills such fanaticism among its people, its GDP can only be measured in terms of radicalisation and its exports in the form of terrorism. Today we see the ills it sought to visit on others consume its own society. It can’t blame the world. This is only karma.”
In fact he had made India’s stand clear at UNGA. Referring to Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif’s address at the UNGA, he said, “We heard some bizarre assertions from it at this very forum yesterday. So let me make India’s position perfectly clear. Pakistan’s cross border terrorism policy will never succeed, and it can have no expectation of impunity. On the contrary, actions will certainly have consequences.”