Congress attacks Jaishankar over meeting with Pakistani Speaker in Dhaka, questions Govt’s stand after Pahalgam attack

The Opposition Congress on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar over his meeting with Pakistani National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka, questioning the Narendra Modi government’s stance towards Islamabad in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Reacting strongly to Jaishankar’s interaction with Sadiq on the sidelines of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s funeral, Congress National Spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed asked why the minister was greeting a Pakistani leader when cross-border terrorism by Pakistan continued unabated.

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“Why do you greet Pakistanis when you are abusing them here? According to India, the recent attack in Pahalgam was carried out by Pakistani terrorists. Has he spoken to them about that? Have they stopped terrorism on our soil?” she asked.

Raising the issue of casualties suffered by Indian armed forces due to cross-border terrorism, the Congress leader said, “How many jawans are killed every year? On one side, you greet them. On the other hand, the NSA’s son does business with them in Saudi Arabia. Then you play an Asia match with them when everyone, including the families of the Pahalgam victims, said it should not be played. When all Indians were against the match, it was still allowed to go ahead.”

Dr Mohamed further accused the government of hypocrisy, alleging that it engages with Pakistan behind the scenes while publicly criticising it.

S Jaishankar meets Pak Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka

“This is how the government treats a country that attacks you and with which you claim to have serious issues. On one side, you shake hands with Pakistan, and as soon as you return to India, you speak against it. So what exactly is your stand?” she asked.

Speaking to The Statesman, Mohamed said the Congress expects the External Affairs Minister to confront Pakistan directly on terrorism. “We want the minister to ask them—how dare you keep attacking us? How dare you keep sending terrorists onto our soil? Did we ever do that to you? Or is he confused?” she said.

The Congress leader’s remarks came after the Chief Adviser of the Bangladeshi Interim Government, Muhammad Yunus, shared photographs of Jaishankar greeting the Pakistani National Assembly Speaker.

“Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, exchanges greetings with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Dhaka on Wednesday ahead of the funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia,” Yunus wrote on X.

The images showed the two leaders shaking hands, marking the first high-level interaction between India and Pakistan since the Pahalgam terrorist attack and Operation Sindoor.