National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has described his recent handshake with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as “surprising”, while briefing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on his recent visit to Dhaka. The interaction, which took place in Dhaka ahead of the last rites of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, marked a rare direct contact with an Indian minister since the conflict in May 2025. The NA speaker met PM Sharif at the National Assembly on Monday to provide a detailed account of his diplomatic trip to Bangladesh. He described the visit as “extremely constructive and positive,” noting that his meetings with Bangladeshi leaders, including the chief adviser, senior ministers, and other officials, had been “highly pleasant and productive.”
