ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday and discussed key parliamentary matters, including his recent visit to Bangladesh, the possibility of dialogue with the PTI, and the appointment of the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.
During the meeting, the speaker took the prime minister into confidence regarding an unexpected handshake with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the sidelines of an event in Dhaka. Ayaz Sadiq told the prime minister that the Indian minister had approached him and initiated the handshake, introducing himself as India’s foreign minister. He said the interaction lasted no more than six to seven seconds and came as a surprise.
The speaker stressed that he remained cautious during the brief exchange, adding that the Indian minister appeared to have approached him after prior planning. He said the interaction was limited and informal in nature.
Ayaz Sadiq also briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz on his engagements in Bangladesh, including meetings with family members of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khalida Zia, whose funeral prayers he attended during the visit. He said he also held meetings with Bangladesh’s chief adviser, advisers and other political leaders, describing the discussions as cordial and positive.
According to the speaker, there was visible enthusiasm among the Bangladeshi public over the presence of the Pakistani parliamentary delegation. The prime minister congratulated him on what he termed a successful visit and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Bangladesh across various sectors.
Prime Minister Shehbaz recalled his past interactions with Bangladesh’s chief adviser and underscored the importance of promoting parliamentary cooperation between the two countries as part of broader diplomatic engagement.
Separately, the National Assembly speaker said on Monday that the opposition had not yet approached him to formally initiate a dialogue process, clarifying that no request had so far been made in this regard.
