Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar held phone talks on Monday, according to a statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The statement revealed that during the call, the Pakistan Foreign Minister briefed the Adviser on the escalating regional tensions resulting from India’s baseless allegations and unilateral actions, including the suspension of provisions under the Indus Waters Treaty. The Foreign Affairs Adviser expressed concerns over the situation and called for restraint from all parties, stressing the need for de-escalation.
The statement further noted that both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh. They emphasized the importance of regular high-level engagements and explored opportunities to enhance cooperation in regional and multilateral forums.
Bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan gained new momentum following the 5 August student-people uprising last year. In April, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch visited Dhaka, during which a date was set for Ishaq Dar’s visit to Bangladesh, originally scheduled for 27 April.
However, tensions between India and Pakistan flared again after an armed attack on tourists in India-controlled Kashmir on 22 April, which killed 26 people. In the aftermath of the attack, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry announced that Ishaq Dar’s visit had been postponed due to the unforeseen situation, with a new date to be announced through further discussions between the two sides.
