Indian FM Jaishankar meets Pakistan NA speaker on sidelines of Khaleda Zia funeral

ISLAMABAD:

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar briefly met Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka on Wednesday on the sidelines of the funeral ceremonies of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia, marking the first such interaction between senior officials of the two rivals since their military conflict in May.

The meeting took place at the residence of Khaleda Zia, who died on Tuesday at the age of 80. Zia was Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister and one of the country’s most influential political figures. Her death was marked by a state funeral, with flags flown at half-mast and thousands of security personnel deployed as her body was carried through the streets of the capital in a vehicle draped in the national flag.

World leaders and senior officials from several countries, including India and Pakistan, travelled to Dhaka to attend the funeral ceremonies.

According to officials present, Jaishankar walked over to Sadiq’s seat and greeted him with a handshake, which the Pakistani speaker returned with a smile. The two exchanged brief pleasantries and inquired about each other’s well-being. No formal talks were reported.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar met with Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq at the residence of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia today, December 31 2025. Source: National Assembly Secretariat

The interaction was the first direct engagement between top Indian and Pakistani officials since the four-day conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in May 2025.

Relations between Pakistan and India sharply deteriorated after an attack in Pehalgam in April 2025. India accused Pakistan of involvement, an allegation Islamabad denied. New Delhi subsequently suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and expelled Pakistani diplomats.

On May 7, India launched what it called Operation Sindoor, firing missiles at multiple locations inside Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir. The strikes caused civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, while India said it was targeting militant camps.

Read: Pahalgam attack: US issues travel advisory for its citizens in India

The conflict escalated into four days of fighting, with both sides using fighter jets, missiles, artillery and drones. Dozens of people were killed before a ceasefire was announced on May 10, brokered with the help of the United States.

After the fighting stopped, Pakistan said it had shot down seven Indian fighter jets, including French-made Rafales. India acknowledged “some losses” but rejected Pakistan’s claim on the number of aircraft downed.

Despite the ceasefire, relations have remained frozen, with no substantive dialogue between the two countries. Wednesday’s brief and informal exchange in Dhaka underscored the continued absence of formal engagement, even as both sides share space at international and regional events.