'Aaj main Goa ja raha hoon': Watch Pakistan FM Bilawal Bhutto's statement ahead of SCO meet

Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is leading the Pakistan delegation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Goa, on Thursday said he is looking forward to “constructive discussions” in India.

"Aaj mai Goa Bharat ja rahu hoon (On my way to Goa, India)," he said in a video right before leaving to India on Thursday. He further added that he will be leading the Pakistan delegation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)’s Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) being held in Goa, India.

"My decision to attend this meeting illustrates Pakistan’s strong commitment to the charter of SCO," he said.

"During my visit, which is focused exclusively on the SCO, I look forward to constructive discussions with my counterparts from friendly countries," he wrote on Twitter.

Zardari, who will be the first Foreign Minister from Pakistan to visit India after a gap of 12 years, also said that he intends to engage with SCO members bilaterally.

Bhutto Zardari's trip to India will be the first visit from Islamabad since 2011. The then Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar had visited India that year. Khar is currently serving as the minister of state for foreign affairs.

The two-day SCO foreign ministerial meeting will begin with a gala reception at a luxury beach resort in Goa on Thursday while the main deliberations will take place on Friday.

While Jaishankar will hold separate bilateral talks with his counterparts from almost all SCO countries, there is no clarity on such a meeting between Jaishankar and Bhutto-Zardari, PTI reported citing people familiar with the preparations.

The Foreign Office (FO) has said that the invitation to the Pakistan Foreign Minister to attend the SCO-CFM was extended by India's Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, as the current chair of the SCO.

Also Read: Pakistan FM Bilawal Bhutto in India: All you need to know about SCO Foreign Ministers' meet

Also Watch: Ex-Pakistan PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's granddaughter visits Hindu temple after nikkah; sparks debate over social media

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