DHAKA: In an unusual and unexpected moment of diplomatic courtesy despite ongoing hostilities, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar briefly met and exchanged a handshake with Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka.
The interaction took place on the sidelines of the funeral of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, which both leaders attended.
According to media reports, Dr. Jaishankar approached the Pakistani speaker himself, and the two shared polite conversation in a cordial atmosphere.
Political analysts have termed the encounter unexpected, as Pakistan-India relations have remained tense following the armed conflict between the two countries in May, after which formal diplomatic engagements were largely halted.
This marks the first known high-level contact between the two sides since the conflict. Following the hostilities, India had reportedly restricted its cricket team from shaking hands with Pakistani players, although such measures were not enforced in other sports.
Dr. Jaishankar visited Pakistan last year to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, during which he also held a meeting with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
While no official statement has been released regarding the Dhaka meeting, the brief exchange is being viewed as symbolically significant amid prolonged regional tensions.
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