A rare handshake between Indian and Pakistani Army officers during the repatriation of a Pakistani national captured along the Line of Control offered a fleeting moment of military courtesy amid heightened tensions between the neighbours.
The Indian Army on Friday said it handed over Asad Khan, a resident of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, to the Pakistan Army after treating him with "dignity and compassion" during his six-day detention.
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A handshake, crossed border and a picture
Khan was apprehended on June 12 after he inadvertently crossed the Line of Control into Simari village in the Teetwal sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district.
Pictures shared by the Army's Chinar Corps showed the handover at a border crossing point, with a senior Indian Army officer seen shaking hands with his Pakistani counterpart -- a rare sight against the backdrop of strained ties between the two countries.
"A Pakistani national, Asad Khan, a resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), who was apprehended in Simari village, Kupwara, on 12 June 2026 after crossing the Line of Control, was repatriated to Pakistan on 18 June 2026," the Army's Chinar Corps said in a post on X.
{{/usCountry}}"A Pakistani national, Asad Khan, a resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), who was apprehended in Simari village, Kupwara, on 12 June 2026 after crossing the Line of Control, was repatriated to Pakistan on 18 June 2026," the Army's Chinar Corps said in a post on X.
{{/usCountry}}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 humanitarian values and conduct".
“His safe repatriation underscores the Indian Army’s ethos, responsibility and adherence to the highest standards of military professionalism,” it added.
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When was Khan captured?
Khan had been captured last week after attempting to cross the heavily militarised LoC in the Teetwal sector.
The handover and accompanying images come at a time when relations between India and Pakistan remain tense, making the exchange and the brief handshake between the two militaries particularly noteworthy.
Chinar Corps also took to social media on June 12, “Based on specific intelligence input, alert #ChinarWarriors, in a joint operation with @JmuKmrPolice, apprehended a Pak National near Simri Village, Kupwara on 12 Jun 2026, who had crossed the Line of Control under suspicious circumstances.”
"Acting swiftly, the vigilant joint team of #ChinarWarriors and #JmuKmrPolice intercepted the individual and prevented any potential security breach..."