International: Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday (October 17) made it clear that no India-Pakistan cricket ties were discussed during EAM Dr S Jaishankar’s two-day visit to Islamabad for the SCO Summit on October 15 and 16. The stance was clarified by MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during the weekly press briefing in the national capital.

MEA on India-Pakistan cricket ties

A query was raised about whether the resumption of India-Pakistan cricket ties was amongst the topics discussed during Jaishankar’s visit to the neighbouring country, responding to which, Jaiswal said, “Nothing of that sort happened”.

India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket matches since 2012. The two rival teams have only battled out in the ICC tournaments such as the World Cup, Asia Cup, and Champions Trophy.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar concluded a "productive" Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit hosted by Pakistan on Wednesday. He thanked Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his counterpart Ishaq Dar and the Pakistani government for the hospitality and courtesies.

Jaishankar exchanged pleasantries with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the second day of the SCO Summit. The brief exchange took place at the venue of the SCO summit. Jaishankar and Sharif warmly shook hands with PM Sharif and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar and held a very brief interaction.

It is important to mention that Jaishankar's visit to Islamabad is a moment of immense significance in the relations between India and Pakistan, which remained tense over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. This was the first visit by an Indian EAM in nine years after Sushma Swaraj visited Islamabad in 2015. His arrival in Islamabad was viewed as a positive development in the relations between the two arch-rivals.

India-Pakistan relations

Jaishankar's visit to Pakistan is being seen in Islamabad as a positive move by India. It was the first time in nearly nine years that India's foreign minister travelled to Pakistan even as the ties between the two neighbours remained tense over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

The last Indian EAM to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj. She had travelled to Islamabad to attend the 'Heart of Asia' conference on Afghanistan that was held from December 8 to 9 in 2015. The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after India's warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack.

The relations further deteriorated after India on August 5, 2019, announced the withdrawal of special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India after New Delhi abrogated Article 370. India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment free of terror and hostility for such engagement.