A rare handshake between Indian and Pakistani army officers during the repatriation of a Pakistani national captured along the Line of Control provided a fleeting moment of military courtesy amid rising tensions between the neighbours.
The Indian Army said on Friday that it had handed over Asad Khan, a resident of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, to the Pakistani army after treating him with “dignity and compassion” during his six-day detention.
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Handshake, cross border and photo
Khan was arrested on June 12 after he unwittingly crossed the Line of Control into Simari village in Titwal sector of Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pictures shared by the Army’s Chinar Corps showed the handover at a border crossing point, where a senior Indian Army officer was seen shaking hands with his Pakistani counterpart – a rare sight against the backdrop of tense relations between the two countries.
“Pakistani national Asad Khan, a resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who was arrested at Simari village, Kupwara, on June 12, 2026 after crossing the Line of Control, was returned to Pakistan on June 18, 2026,” the army’s Chinar Corps said in a post on X website.
The army said Khan was treated with “dignity and compassion.”
“During his stay in India, Asad Khan was treated with dignity and compassion, reflecting the Indian Army’s unwavering commitment to humane values and behaviour.”
She added, “His safe return to his homeland confirms the spirit of the Indian Army, its responsibility and its commitment to the highest standards of military professionalism.”
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When was Khan arrested?
Khan was arrested last week after trying to cross the heavily armed Line of Control in Tetwal sector.
The handover and accompanying photos come at a time when relations between India and Pakistan remain tense, making the brief exchange and handshake between the two militaries particularly noteworthy.
Chinar Corps also took to social media on June 12, “Based on specific intelligence inputs, #ChinarWarriors Alert, in a joint operation with @JmuKmrPolice, arrested a Pakistani national near Simri village, Kupwara on June 12, 2026, who crossed the Line of Control under suspicious circumstances.”
“Acting quickly, the vigilant joint team of #ChinarWarriors and #JmuKmrPolice intercepted the person and prevented any potential security breach…”
