EAM Jaishankar, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif exchange pleasantries

Islamabad: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday exchanged pleasantries with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, hours after landing in the Pakistani capital to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

The brief exchange took place at a dinner reception hosted by Sharif at his residence in honour of the delegates of the SCO member countries.

Jaishankar and Sharif warmly shook hands and held a very brief interaction.

The Pakistan prime minister greeted all the leaders of the delegations of the SCO member nations.

It is 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 external affairs minister will lead the Indian delegation at the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit on Wednesday.