{"id":872375,"date":"2025-09-12T00:13:23","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T05:13:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/12\/dars-landmark-dhaka-visit-heralds-new-phase-in-pakistan-bangladesh-ties-after-13-years\/"},"modified":"2025-09-12T00:13:23","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T05:13:23","slug":"dars-landmark-dhaka-visit-heralds-new-phase-in-pakistan-bangladesh-ties-after-13-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/12\/dars-landmark-dhaka-visit-heralds-new-phase-in-pakistan-bangladesh-ties-after-13-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Dar\u2019s landmark Dhaka visit heralds \u2018new phase\u2019 in Pakistan\u2013Bangladesh ties after 13 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<ul>\n<li>Deputy PM strikes a conciliatory and forward-looking tone, stressing Pakistan\u2019s \u2018sincere intent\u2019 to build ties free from external pressures<\/li>\n<li>We want to forge a relationship based on mutual respect, free from external pressures, and driven by the needs of our people: Dar<\/li>\n<li>Underscores working together to create an environment where youth from Karachi to Chittagong, Quetta to Rajshahi, Peshawar to Sylhet and Lahore to Dhaka join hands to face global challenges and realise their shared dreams<\/li>\n<li>Dar presses for revival of Saarc, calls South Asia \u2018home to a quarter of humanity\u2019<\/li>\n<li>Held wide-ranging political engagements in Dhaka, meeting delegations of NCP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP<\/li>\n<li>MoUs on trade, culture, media, and connectivity likely during two-day trip<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>DHAKA\/ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday declared that Pakistan and Bangladesh were entering a \u201cnew phase of reinvigorated partnership\u201d as he began a landmark two-day trip to Dhaka\u2014the first by a Pakistani foreign minister in 13 years.<\/p>\n<p>Arriving on the invitation of the Bangladeshi government, Dar was received at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam, Pakistan\u2019s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Bangladesh\u2019s envoy to Islamabad Muhammad Iqbal Khan, and senior officials.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">????PR No.2\ufe0f\u20e35\ufe0f\u20e36\ufe0f\u20e3\/2\ufe0f\u20e30\ufe0f\u20e32\ufe0f\u20e35\ufe0f\u20e3<\/p>\n<p>Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Arrives in Dhaka <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/CqI5ijccjc\">https:\/\/t.co\/CqI5ijccjc<\/a><br \/>\n????\u2b07\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/yzm4M9YTIu\">pic.twitter.com\/yzm4M9YTIu<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ministry of Foreign Affairs \u2013 Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ForeignOfficePk\/status\/1959187064668205438?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The Foreign Office said the deputy premier\u2019s engagements would cover the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation and include meetings with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, Adviser for Foreign Affairs Md Touhid Hossain, and Adviser for Commerce SK Bashir Uddin.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Deputy Prime Minister \/ Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MIshaqDar50?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@MIshaqDar50<\/a>, reached Dhaka on an official visit. He was received at the airport by Ambassador Asad Alam Siam, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, along side Pakistan\u2019s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Mr. Imran\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/96oZ2Hhi9c\">pic.twitter.com\/96oZ2Hhi9c<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ministry of Foreign Affairs \u2013 Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ForeignOfficePk\/status\/1959176368131907846?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Addressing a press conference at Pakistan\u2019s High Commission later in the day, Dar struck a conciliatory and forward-looking tone, stressing Pakistan\u2019s \u201csincere intent\u201d to overcome historical baggage and build cooperative ties. \u201cOur hearts are open, and our intent is most sincere. We want to forge a relationship based on mutual respect, free from external pressures, and driven by the needs of our people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>He added, \u201cWe must work together to create an environment where youth from Karachi to Chittagong, Quetta to Rajshahi, Peshawar to Sylhet and Lahore to Dhaka join hands to face global challenges and realise their shared dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Deputy Prime Minister \/ Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MIshaqDar50?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@MIshaqDar50<\/a>,<br \/>\nreceived a delegation of National Citizen Party (NCP), led by Mr Akhtar Hossain. During the discussion, DPM\/FM appreciated the NCP leadership\u2019s vision for reform and social justice. He emphasised\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Bg5VjtXhbf\">pic.twitter.com\/Bg5VjtXhbf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ministry of Foreign Affairs \u2013 Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ForeignOfficePk\/status\/1959230995187499412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>MoUs Expected, Economic Links Growing<\/p>\n<p>According to senior Bangladeshi officials, the visit is expected to yield four to five memorandums of understanding in areas including trade, culture, media collaboration, professional training, and travel connectivity. The agreements would build on recent progress in bilateral ties, including Pakistan\u2019s import of 50,000 tonnes of rice under direct government-to-government trade launched in February.<\/p>\n<p>The approval was granted to Pakistan\u2019s private airline Fly Jinnah to begin Karachi\u2013Dhaka operations. An agreement in July between both governments to allow visa-free entry for diplomatic and official passport holders.<\/p>\n<p>The revival of institutional dialogues, with Pakistan\u2019s foreign secretary Amna Baloch visiting Dhaka in April after a 15-year gap. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi\u2019s July visit, where the two sides pledged to expand security and interior cooperation.<\/p>\n<p>Dar said these developments reflected \u201cnew energy and fresh enthusiasm\u201d in the relationship, describing Pakistan and Bangladesh as \u201ctwo vibrant and resilient nations with centuries of shared traditions, Islamic heritage, social norms, linguistic connections and literary expressions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meetings Across the Spectrum<\/p>\n<p>In addition to official talks, Dar held wide-ranging political engagements in Dhaka on Saturday. He met delegations of the National Citizen Party (NCP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).<\/p>\n<p>According to the Foreign Office, discussions covered political mobilisation, regional dynamics, cultural exchanges, and the role of youth in reform and cooperation. Dar lauded the \u201csteadfastness\u201d of Bangladeshi political activists in the face of adversity and stressed the need for greater contact between the younger generations of both countries.<\/p>\n<p>Saarc and Regional Outlook<\/p>\n<p>Dar also underscored the importance of reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), recalling Bangladesh\u2019s central role in its conception. \u201cSouth Asia, home to nearly a quarter of humanity, cannot afford to lag behind in regional cooperation and integration,\u201d he said, adding that Pakistan hoped Saarc could be \u201creinvigorated\u201d to shorten distances and rebuild trust.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Ishaqdar50?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@IshaqDar50<\/a>, met with a delegation from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by its Secretary General, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>The Deputy Prime\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/b4i1hPiaAZ\">pic.twitter.com\/b4i1hPiaAZ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ministry of Foreign Affairs \u2013 Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ForeignOfficePk\/status\/1959260111421010389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Analysts note that Dhaka\u2019s foreign policy in recent years has been heavily weighted toward New Delhi, making Islamabad\u2019s diplomatic re-engagement particularly significant. Dar emphasised that Pakistan wanted a relationship insulated from external pressures and grounded in \u201cwhat unites us rather than what divides us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Symbolism and Timing<\/p>\n<p>Diplomatic observers say Dar\u2019s visit marks the most substantive re-engagement between Islamabad and Dhaka in more than a decade. The last visit by a Pakistani foreign minister was Hina Rabbani Khar\u2019s six-hour stopover in November 2012, when she formally invited then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina to a Saarc summit in Islamabad.<\/p>\n<p>This time, however, the scale is broader and more substantive: not only is Dar\u2019s trip spread over two days with multiple political and official engagements, but it also comes amid an upswing in trade diplomacy and direct government-to-government cooperation between the two countries.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Ishaqdar50?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@IshaqDar50<\/a>, met with a delegation from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by its Secretary General, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>The Deputy Prime\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/b4i1hPiaAZ\">pic.twitter.com\/b4i1hPiaAZ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ministry of Foreign Affairs \u2013 Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ForeignOfficePk\/status\/1959260111421010389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The visit follows last month\u2019s tour of Dhaka by Pakistan\u2019s commerce minister Jam Kamal Khan, during which a joint working group on trade was announced. Both countries are exploring expanded textile cooperation, easier banking channels, and academic partnerships.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018A Fraternal Sentiment\u2019<\/p>\n<p>In his public remarks, Dar repeatedly stressed that Islamabad respected Dhaka\u2019s sovereign choices and wanted a relationship rooted in fraternity. \u201cNotwithstanding the twists and turns of history, the people of Pakistan have fraternal sentiments towards the people of Bangladesh and hold them in the highest esteem,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MIshaqDar50?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@MIshaqDar50<\/a>, embarks upon a historic visit to Bangladesh. In Dhaka, he will hold important meetings with Bangladeshi leaders. The visit is a significant milestone in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations as a\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/In13QwBcJj\">pic.twitter.com\/In13QwBcJj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ministry of Foreign Affairs \u2013 Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ForeignOfficePk\/status\/1959095990692061393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He added that the ties were \u201cnot only political but also grounded in cultural, spiritual and familial bonds woven into the very fabric of our two societies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As his engagements continue on Sunday, Dar is expected to push for mechanisms to institutionalise cooperation across economic, educational, and cultural spheres. Both sides have signaled optimism that the visit will help transform ties long constrained by history into a forward-looking partnership.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> Staff Report<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pakistantoday.com.pk\/2025\/08\/24\/dars-landmark-dhaka-visit-heralds-new-phase-in-pakistan-bangladesh-ties-after-13-years\/\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Deputy PM strikes a conciliatory and forward-looking tone, stressing Pakistan\u2019s \u2018sincere intent\u2019 to build ties free from external pressures We want to forge a relationship based on mutual respect, free from external pressures, and driven by the needs of our people: Dar Underscores working together to create an environment where youth from Karachi to Chittagong<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":872376,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[146252,2546],"tags":[146251,14582],"class_list":{"0":"post-872375","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-dars","8":"category-landmark","9":"tag-dars","10":"tag-landmark"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/872375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=872375"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/872375\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/872376"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=872375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=872375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=872375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}