Jaishankar knew what he was doing’, Ayaz Sadiq describes his interaction with Indian FM

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has shared details of his recent interaction with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar during a visit to Dhaka on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. He said the Indian minister himself initiated the contact, making it the first high-level interaction between Pakistan and India since the May conflict.

Ayaz Sadiq was in Dhaka to represent Pakistan at the funeral prayers of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia. He said delegations from Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladeshi officials were already present in a waiting room inside the Bangladesh Parliament when the Indian delegation arrived.

According to Sadiq, Dr Jaishankar greeted other delegations briefly before approaching him directly. At the time, Sadiq was speaking with Pakistan’s high commissioner to Bangladesh. The Indian minister shook hands with him and introduced himself. When Sadiq tried to introduce himself in return, Jaishankar said he already recognised him and that no introduction was needed.

The National Assembly speaker said cameras were following the Indian minister, which made it clear that the interaction was planned and meant to be noticed. He said Jaishankar was fully aware that the moment would be recorded and reported, and described him as a politically experienced leader who understood the importance of diplomatic optics.

Sadiq added that the atmosphere in the room changed during the interaction, with many eyes focused on the two leaders. He said the Indian minister knew the significance of the moment and handled it carefully.

During his visit, Ayaz Sadiq also spoke about the warm public response he received in Bangladesh. He said people openly chanted slogans in support of Pakistan and expressed goodwill wherever he went.

He explained that the vehicle he travelled in had a Pakistani flag displayed. As people recognised the flag along the route, many waved and tried to take pictures. Despite security advice not to lower the car window, he did so, which led to people moving closer to greet him.

Sadiq said many individuals tried to shake hands and take photos, even though they did not know him personally. Police attempted to manage the crowd, but people continued to move forward to show support.

He described the reception in Bangladesh as highly enthusiastic and said the repeated expressions of support reflected strong public goodwill towards Pakistan during his visit.