Renowned Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar has described the recent handshake between Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar as an encouraging and positive sign at the start of the new year.
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Sharing an image of the interaction on social media platform X, Ali Zafar said that witnessing such a moment on the first day of 2026 was “heartening.” He expressed optimism that if Pakistan and India move beyond past hostilities, negative narratives, online trolling and divisive rhetoric, it could pave the way for peace, stability and prosperity for billions of people across the region.
Zafar emphasized that sustainable progress is only possible when dialogue and understanding replace confrontation and hatred. He voiced hope that 2026 would be remembered as a year of peace and development, calling the handshake a symbolic and refreshing gesture amid otherwise strained bilateral relations.
The interaction between Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Dr. Jaishankar took place in Dhaka, where both leaders had gathered to attend the funeral of former Bangladeshi prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Diplomatic sources said the Indian foreign minister approached the Pakistani speaker, resulting in a brief but cordial exchange.
The meeting has drawn attention in political and diplomatic circles, as it is being viewed as the first high-level contact between Pakistan and India since tensions escalated following the conflict in May last year, after which most political and diplomatic engagements were put on hold.
