Pakistan amplifies courtesy handshake with EAM Jaishankar amid tensions

Pakistan's top leadership showed desperation by amplifying a courtesy handshake between EAM S. Jaishankar and NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka amid strained ties following the Pahalgam terror attack, to which India has responded with firm diplomatic measures.

The desperation in the Pakistan's top leadership once again came out on Wednesday after Pakistan attempted to amplify what was a courtesy handshake between EAM S Jaishankar and the Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka. The exchange took place on the sidelines of the funeral of former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia, which Sadiq and Jaishankar attended. It was among the few visible contacts at the senior level since relations deteriorated earlier this year following the Pahalgam attack, where 26 tourists were killed which India has said was the work of Pakistan-backed terror networks.

Pakistan's Narrative on the Exchange

According to a press release issued by Pakistan's National Assembly Secretariat, Pakistan has claimed that the handshake occurred when External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar approached Ayaz Sadiq during the event, reported Dawn. The press release from the NA Secretariat stated that since the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan has "consistently emphasised dialogue, restraint and cooperative measures, including proposals for peace talks and joint investigations...to prevent unprovoked aggression and escalation."

Strained Relations and Indian Response

India-Pakistan relations came under severe strain earlier this year following the terror attack in Pahalgam, after which India undertook calibrated diplomatic and strategic measures to safeguard national security. In response to the attack, India scaled down diplomatic engagement and initiated policy steps reflecting its long-standing position that dialogue cannot coexist with terrorism. Among these measures was the suspension of participation in the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a landmark 1960 agreement brokered by the World Bank, highlighting the seriousness with which India viewed the security situation. India also restricted cross-border transit and other bilateral engagements, reiterating that any engagement requires demonstrable action against terrorism and accountability for attacks targeting civilians.

Operation Sindoor: Military Retaliation

Against this backdrop, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the attack. Indian Armed Forces carried out precision strikes against terror camps operated by Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK). India subsequently repelled Pakistani escalation and targeted its airbases.

India's Conditions for Dialogue

India has consistently emphasised that any engagement with Pakistan must be based on mutual respect, verifiable security assurances and a terrorism-free environment, while firmly safeguarding its national interests. (ANI)

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