Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar departed for Bangladesh on Saturday, embarking on the first official visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to Dhaka in 13 years. “The visit marks an important milestone in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations, as a Pakistani Foreign Minister is visiting Bangladesh after roughly 13 years,” said the Foreign Office in a statement. During his stay in Dhaka, DPM Dar will hold key meetings with Bangladeshi leaders. The visit, scheduled from August 23 to August 24, follows an invitation from the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. FM Dar is set to meet the country’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, and Adviser for Foreign Affairs, Touhid Hossain. “The discussions will cover the full spectrum of bilateral relations, as well as various regional and international issues,” the FO added. FM Dar is the most senior Pakistani official to visit Dhaka since 2012, and Islamabad has described the visit as a “significant milestone in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations.” During the visit, both countries are expected to sign several agreements, including trade deals, on Sunday. The foreign minister’s visit comes against the backdrop of warming ties between Islamabad and Dhaka ever since the ouster of PM Hasina who fled to India — after a mass student-led uprising. Since then, Pakistan and Bangladesh began sea trade last year, expanding government-to-government commerce in February. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also held several interactions with Bangladesh’s Yunus. Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan held talks Thursday in Dhaka, where he agreed to set up joint commissions to boost trade and investment. A day earlier, top military commanders from both nations also met in Pakistan. Last month, Islamabad and Dhaka reached a major diplomatic breakthrough by agreeing in principle to grant visa-free entry to holders of diplomatic and official passports. The agreement came during a high-level meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh’s Home Minister Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury in Dhaka. Earlier in April, Pakistan and Bangladesh welcomed the launch of direct shipping between Karachi and Chittagong and underscored the need to resume direct air links. The development came during the 6th round of Foreign Secretary Level Consultations (FSLC) held in Dhaka on April 17. Both sides also expressed satisfaction over the progress made in easing travel and visa facilitation. The talks, commencing after a hiatus of 15 years, were led by the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Amna Baloch and Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin, and were held in a cordial atmosphere and reflected a shared resolve to revitalise bilateral engagement, the statement mentioned.
Pakistan’s FM Ishaq Dar embarks on historic 13-year gap visit to Bangladesh
