NEW DELHI: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday spoke with Muhammad Yunus via phone, exchanging Eid ul-Fitr greetings and reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.
During the call, Sharif reiterated his invitation for Yunus to visit Pakistan and extended an invitation to a Bangladeshi cultural troupe, including legendary singer Runa Laila, to perform in Pakistan, as shared in a post by the Prime Minister on X.
Sources said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar will visit Bangladesh from April 22 to April 24. During the visit, he is scheduled to meet Muhammad Yunus and hold formal talks with Bangladesh's Foreign Adviser Towheed Hossain and other cabinet members and officials. Several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements are expected to be signed during this meet, focusing on enhancing trade, commercial ties, and people-to-people connections. Hina Rabbani Khar was the last foreign minister to visit Bangladesh in 2012.
Dhaka and Islamabad have been looking at ways to increase the trade ties after starting first ever direct trade link via sea. The two countries have already agreed to start direct flights. After the exit of Sheikh Hasina government, the two sides also are looking at improving defence ties.
Lt-Gen S M Kamr-ul-Hassan, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh, who is the second in command, was the first top Bangladeshi general to have travelled to Islamabad in many years in January, marking a difference in the priorities of the new administration in Dhaka. Following Hasina's exit, India raised concerns over ‘targeted attacks’ on minority Hindus in Bangladesh.