National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday expressed hope that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s upcoming visit to Islamabad for the SCO meeting would mark the start of a better relationship between India and Pakistan.

India on Friday announced that Jaishankar will travel to Pakistan to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in mid-October.

It is the first time in nearly nine years that India’s external affairs minister will travel to Pakistan even as the ties between the two neighbours have remained frosty over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

Pakistan is hosting the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting on October 15 and 16.

“I am hopeful that they will be able to talk on every issue. Economic issues are very important for all of us, the world itself. And I am sure they will talk on bilateral matters also.

“I hope they will be friendly and they will try to achieve better understanding between the two countries. My best wishes to all of them,” Abdullah told reporters here.

To a question on whether there was any hope of the two neighbours resolving their differences, the NC president expressed hope the meeting would kickstart better relations among the two countries.

“I hope so. One cannot say what will happen there. But, I hope and pray that animosities will disappear and a better relationship will start between the two nations,” the former  Jammu and Kasmir chief minister said.