‘First handshake since May clash’: Pakistan, India officials make rare contact in Dhaka

• Indian FM Jaishankar approached NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and extended a handshake during Khaleda Zia funeral
• First high-level contact since deadly Pahalgam attack and four-day military clash

DHAKA: In a rare and symbolic gesture, Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar shook hands in Dhaka on Wednesday, marking the first high-level contact between Pakistani and Indian officials since the May military conflict between the two countries.

The encounter comes amid lingering tensions following the Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan—a claim Islamabad has consistently denied while offering an independent probe.

According to a press release from the NA Secretariat, Indian Minister Jaishankar approached Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and extended a handshake during Sadiq’s visit to Dhaka for former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s funeral.

During Speaker NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq's visit to the Parliament of Bangladesh to inscribe remarks in the condolence book placed for the Late Begum Khaleda ZIa, in the presence of foreign ministers and delegates of different countries, the Indian External Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar… pic.twitter.com/kBi6vnOIIC

— National Assembly 🇵🇰 (@NAofPakistan) December 31, 2025

“Indian External Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar approached the Speaker of the National Assembly and shook hands,” the release read. “During this interaction, Dr. S. Jaishankar introduced himself to the Speaker and mentioned that he had recognised him.”

The statement added that since the Pahalgam incident, Pakistan has “consistently emphasised dialogue, restraint, and cooperative measures, including proposals for peace talks and joint investigations into the alleged false-flag Pahalgam incident, in order to prevent unprovoked aggression and escalation.”

Following the attack, India imposed a series of unilateral diplomatic measures against Pakistan. Among the most severe was the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a pact brokered by the World Bank that had endured through decades of conflict, making its suspension a significant escalation. India also closed the main border transit point and described the attack as a grave provocation warranting strong diplomatic, economic, and logistical pressure on Pakistan.

Pakistan consistently called for an independent and transparent investigation, rejecting India’s accusations. Nevertheless, New Delhi carried out air strikes in Punjab and Azad Kashmir on May 7, triggering a four-day clash between the nuclear-armed neighbours. After reciprocal airstrikes on each other’s bases, US intervention on May 10 secured a ceasefire.

In June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued a Supplemental Award of Competence, stating that India cannot unilaterally suspend the IWT.

Earlier this month, Pakistan’s Foreign Office raised concerns over New Delhi’s “weaponisation of water” after abrupt variations in the Chenab and Jhelum rivers disrupted irrigation in Punjab. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar highlighted that the PCA had reaffirmed the treaty’s validity and dispute-resolution mechanisms and noted concerns expressed by UN rapporteurs regarding India’s actions under the treaty.