Islamabad, October 16: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar appreciated and thanked Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar for his participation in the the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Council of Heads of Government meeting on Wednesday. In a post on X, Dar stated that "Pakistan was honoured" to host the SCO member states. "Thank you for your kind message and participation, S Jaishankar, in 23rd Meeting of SCO-CHG. Pakistan was honoured to host SCO Member States in Islamabad," Dar said in response to EAM Jaishankar's post thanking the Pak government's hospitality.

EAM Jaishankar departed from Islamabad to Delhi on Wednesday evening after attending the summit and thanked Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for their hospitality. In a post on X, Jaishankar said, "Departing from Islamabad. Thank PM Shehbaz Sharif, DPM & FM Ishaq Dar and the Government of Pakistan for the hospitality and courtesies." ‘Thanks Pakistan for Hospitality and Courtesies’: EAM S Jaishankar Wraps Up His Visit to Islamabad for SCO Summit 2024, Thanks Shehbaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar for Hospitality.

Earlier in the day, in his address at the 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in Islamabad, Jaishankar called for introspection if friendship between the two nations has fallen short or good neighbourliness is missing. "If we fast-forward from the inception of the Charter to the situation today, these goals and these tasks are even more crucial. It is, therefore, essential that we have an honest conversation," Jaishankar said.

"If trust is lacking or cooperation inadequate, if friendship has fallen short and good neighbourliness is missing somewhere, there are surely reasons to introspect and causes to address. Equally, it is only when we reaffirm our commitment most sincerely to the Charter that we can fully realise the benefits of cooperation and integration that it envisages," he added. SCO Summit 2024: EAM S Jaishankar Calls Terrorism, Extremism and Separatism As ‘3 Evils’ at 23rd Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council.

He also termed cross-border terrorism, extremism and separatism as the "three evils" that hinder trade and people-to-people relations between countries. He took a veiled jibe at Pakistan to state that if activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism, they are "hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel."

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