A handshake in the house: sign of civility or symbol of compromise?

• Khan avoided such gestures when he was PM.
• Gohar trolled online for simple courtesy.
• Shehbaz repeatedly urged PTI to hold talks.
  

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif walked across the floor of the National Assembly on Thursday to shake hands with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and others.

The move, though brief, stood out as a moment of political courtesy in an increasingly hostile and polarised environment.

While many welcomed the handshake as a sign of political maturity, the response from a section of PTI supporters on social media was markedly negative as the picture of the handshake went viral.

PTI loyalists criticised the gesture, interpreting it not as a sign of tolerance, but as an act of compromise, something they believe betrays the party’s core principles.

This reaction reflects the continued influence of jailed PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, who remains steadfast in his refusal to engage with political opponents.

Even during his time in office as the prime minister, Khan avoided such gestures of political civility. Notably, he never shook hands with then-leader of the opposition, Shehbaz, despite the fact that it was the same National Assembly that had elected him the prime minister.

Khan’s confrontational approach extended beyond reasonable limits. He was criticised for skipping a critical national security briefing simply because opposition leaders were also invited.

To this day, Khan bars his party from engaging in any political dialogue with the ruling coalition, including the PML-N, PPP and MQM-P. He insists that any dialogue must be held solely with the establishment — the very institution he continues to blame for his political setbacks.

In sharp contrast, Prime Minister Shehbaz has consistently extended an olive branch to the PTI, both during his tenure as the opposition leader and now as the head of the government.

He has publicly and repeatedly invited PTI for dialogue in efforts to reduce political tensions and promote democratic consensus.

Most recently, during the escalation of hostilities with India, Shehbaz reached out to Barrister Gohar to take him and the PTI into confidence alongside other national leaders.

This outreach by Shehbaz highlights a markedly different political philosophy — one that, despite sharp disagreements, seeks engagement rather than isolation.

The handshake in parliament may have lasted only a moment, but it brought into focus two competing political approaches.

Interestingly, despite being ridiculed by Khan as an “orderly,” Shehbaz continues to show respect and courtesy to his political opponents across the aisle.

Whether the gesture leads to any substantive political thaw remains uncertain, but Barrister Gohar is now facing backlash from his own party’s supporters for doing what is fundamental in any civilised society.

Already, he has become a target of PTI social media trolling — ironically, for being polite, well-mannered, and decent.

During Nawaz Sharif’s last tenure as prime minister, he also visited Khan at his residence in Banigala.

But Khan never responded with any gesture of reconciliation. Instead, he led the infamous long march of 2014 to topple the Nawaz government with the alleged backing of the-then establishment.

Originally published in The News