DHAKA (Kashmir English): Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar met Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, on the sidelines of the funeral ceremonies of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia.
In a post on X, the National Assembly account shared a glimpse of the meeting, marking the first such interaction between senior officials of the two rivals since their military conflict in May.
“This interaction marked the first significant high-level contact initiated by the Indian side following the Pakistan-India conflict in May 2025,” the post reads.
The brief meeting took place at the Parliament of Bangladesh, where Speaker NA was president to inscribe remarks in the condolence book placed for the Late Begum Khaleda Zia.
The statement said that in the presence of foreign ministers and delegates of different countries, “the Indian External Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar approached the Speaker National Assembly and shook hands.”
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
According to official details, during this interaction, Dr. S. Jaishankar introduced himself to the Speaker and told the Speaker that he had recognized him. The two exchanged brief pleasantries and inquired about each other’s well-being. No formal talks were reported.
“It is noteworthy that Pakistan has consistently emphasized dialogue, restraint, and cooperative measures, including proposals for peace talks and joint investigations into the alleged False Flag Pahalgam incident, to prevent unprovoked aggression and escalation,” the statement added.
Earlier, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq arrived at the residence of Begum Khaleda Zia, where he met Zia’s son, Tariq Rahim, and daughter. On this occasion, Bangladesh’s National Security Advisor Khalilur Rahman and Law Advisor Asif Nazrul were also present.
Sadiq expressed profound grief and sorrow over the passing of Khaleda Zia and shared condolences on behalf of the Prime Minister, Parliament, Government, and the people of Pakistan.
He said that Begum Khaleda Zia was a sincere friend of Pakistan, adding that the services of the late Begum Khaleda Zia for the development and prosperity of the people of Bangladesh will always be remembered.
Ayaz Sadiq’s prayer to Almighty Allah to grant the late Khaleda Zia a high rank in Jannat-ul-Firdous to grant patience to the bereaved family in this irreparable loss.
