Ayaz Sadiq briefs PM on meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq on Monday called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and took him into confidence regarding his meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during recent visit to Bangladesh.

Ayaz Sadiq said that the Indian Foreign Minister himself came over to his seat to meet him and introduced himself. He added that he also inquired about his well-being and maintained a cautious approach during the informal meeting with the Indian Foreign Minister.

Making a major disclosure, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that the Indian delegation tried to forcibly stop him from attending the funeral of former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia. Delegations from Pakistan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Bhutan were brought to the funeral venue in a single bus.

The Speaker said that when he boarded the bus, Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar and the High Commissioner were seated in the front seats. When the bus reached the funeral venue, the Indian High Commissioner stood at the bus door. As he was about to get off, he was told not to go down because there was a crowd and it was dangerous.

He further said that he told them to open the door, stating that he had come specifically to attend the funeral. When the door was not opened, he angrily said, “Open the door.” When the door was opened, he got down along with the delegations from Nepal and the Maldives.

Ayaz Sadiq said that the Indian High Commissioner made every effort to prevent him from offering the funeral prayer and to turn it into an issue. He added that the Indian delegation had come fully prepared and with prior planning.