Pakistan Defence Minister seeks deeper ties with Bangladesh amid tensions with India

Islamabad sought to step up its ties with Dhaka notwithstanding Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s decision to postpone his Bangladesh visit beginning Sunday. Last weekend, amid tensions with India Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said he looked forward to “deepening” engagement in various sectors with Bangladesh and said both Islamabad and Dhaka are keenly working for furthering economic, political, and cultural cooperation.

Asif was speaking at a reception to celebrate the 54th National and Independence Day of Bangladesh as the chief guest in Islamabad on Friday. Pakistan Army has plans to enhance its ties with Bangladesh Army with focus on training.

High Commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh Syed Ahmed Maroof called on the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Md. Jashim Uddin at Dhaka on Monday.

During the meeting, both sides “expressed satisfaction with the constructive discussion and the successful conclusion of the sixth round of Foreign Secretary Level Bilateral Consultations between Bangladesh and Pakistan on 17 April 2025 in Dhaka, highlighting it as a positive step toward strengthening bilateral cooperation,” according to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry.

The importance of continued follow-up and further work by the relevant authorities from both sides on the areas and issues discussed during the Foreign Secretary Level Bilateral Consultations was emphasized at the Monday’s meeting.Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch recently visited Bangladesh as Dhaka and Islamabad held the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) after a gap of 15 years as both countries sought to revive ties that had touched a low under Awami League government.The High Commissioner of Pakistan briefed the Foreign Secretary about regional issues indicating that the issue of current tensions between India-Pakistan figured in the talks.

Meanwhile, a high-level business delegation from Pakistan is visiting Bangladesh for the Bangladesh-Pakistan Business Forum.

Earlier, Pakistan Foreign Ministry in a statement announced, “Owing to unforeseen circumstances, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan is unable to undertake the visit to Bangladesh on April 27-28, 2025.”

Ever since Sheikh Hasina was ousted last August, Bangladesh interim regime under influence of Islamists and BNP has found common cause with Pakistan in targeting India. Concerted efforts have been made to improve Bangladesh-Pakistan ties since last August. There have been allegations of ISI’s role in abetting the student protests in Bangladesh last year.