How Islamabad Tried and Failed to Project Jaishankar's Dhaka Handshake with Pak Speaker as Engagement

Pakistan’s

desperate attempt to project a brief courtesy handshake between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka as a sign of diplomatic engagement has fallen flat, with the Indian side clearly stating that no messaging or outreach should be read into the exchange. The interaction, which took place on the sidelines of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's funeral, was a routine greeting rather than a substantive contact, coming at a time when India-Pakistan ties remain severely strained following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Pak Speaker's Greeting to EAM Jaishankar in Dhaka

EAM Dr S Jaishankar briefly met Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka. It was the first such encounter following Operation Sindoor.At a room where senior ministers and dignitaries from neighbouring countries attending Zia's funeral converged, Speaker of Pakistan's Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq exchanged pleasantries with Jaishankar and the photograph of the exchange was shared by Bangladesh interim government chief Muhammad Yunus's office.Jaishankar also exchanged pleasantries with other dignitaries, including the new Nepalese foreign minister, Balananda Sharma, and a few others present in the room.

Islamabad's Claims on Jaishankar-Sadiq Interaction

The desperation in Pakistan's top leadership was once again revealed when it tried to amplify the interaction. According to a press release issued by Pakistan's National Assembly Secretariat, Pakistan has claimed that the handshake occurred when Dr Jaishankar approached Ayaz Sadiq during the event, reported Dawn.Islamabad called it the "first significant high-level contact" between the two sides since the May conflict. "This interaction marked the first significant high-level contact initiated by the Indian side following the Pakistan-India conflict in May 2025," it said.

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The press release from the NA Secretariat also stated that since the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan has "consistently emphasised dialogue, restraint and cooperative measures, including proposals for peace talks and joint investigations...to prevent unprovoked aggression and escalation."

'No Change in Position': India Busts Pakistan's Lies Again

Pakistan claims fell flat as it was clarified that the interaction between Jaishankar and Sadiq was part of "routine protocol" and it must not be misread as "engagement", according to Indian government sources.There was no diplomatic exchange, just a "brief exchange of pleasantries and not talks," the sources told Times Now. There is "no change in India's stand on Pakistan," they added. Nothing should be read into the exchange of greetings, news agency PTI had reported earlier in the day, citing government sources.The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain earlier this year following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, after which India undertook calibrated diplomatic and strategic measures to safeguard national security.India scaled down diplomatic engagement, suspended the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), restricted cross-border trade, reiterating that dialogue and terrorism cannot coexist.Further, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10, following a request from Islamabad, to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes, however, other restrictions continued.India has consistently emphasised that any engagement with Pakistan must be based on mutual respect, verifiable security assurances and a terrorism-free environment.