ISLAMABAD: The interim leader of Bangladesh said Thursday that he would like to settle unresolved issues related to Dhaka’s 1971 split from Islamabad during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the fringes of the D-8 conference of developing nations in Cairo.
Once a single nation, the two broke up after a brutal civil war in which the region known as “East Pakistan” broke away to become the independent country of Bangladesh.
“The problems have repeatedly surfaced. According to a statement from the former’s office, Dr. Muhammad Yunus said PM Shehbaz, “Let’s resolve those issues so we can move forward,” as reported by the AFP news agency.
The leaders of Dhaka, particularly the recently overthrown Sheikh Hasina regime, have remained firmly in the Indian camp in the years following the split, choosing to keep tight ties with New Delhi and keep Islamabad at bay.
However, relations between the two capitals have thawed after Hasina’s government was overthrown in August due to a popular movement, and commerce and bilateral relations have significantly improved.
According to a statement from the PM Office, PM Shehbaz emphasized the historical, religious, and cultural ties between the two nations during a meeting with Dr. Yunus. He also conveyed Pakistan’s strong desire to strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially in the areas of trade, people-to-people contacts, and cultural exchanges.
The Nobel laureate, who is now the chief adviser to the interim government in Bangladesh, also pledged to bring the eight-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) back to life. Saarc has largely stalled because of disagreements between Islamabad and New Delhi. “This is a top priority,” Yunus told PM Shehbaz, according to AFP.
The Pakistani premier, for his part, conveyed his appreciation for the recent actions taken to ease trade and travel between the two nations, such as the removal of the special security desk at the Dhaka airport that was previously in place to examine Pakistani travelers and the lifting of the requirement that all shipments from Pakistan be physically inspected.
Additionally, the prime minister expressed gratitude to Bangladesh for eliminating the need for further vetting for Pakistani visa applications. He also emphasized the importance of utilizing the enormous potential to increase commerce in a variety of industries, such as IT, chemicals, cement clinkers, medical supplies, and leather items.
The two leaders noted with satisfaction the growing frequency of high-level encounters and expressed satisfaction with recent good advances in bilateral ties.
They also underlined the necessity of coordinating efforts to accomplish mutually advantageous development goals and decided to enhance and broaden bilateral cooperation in all areas of shared interest.
The two leaders recognized the value of interpersonal relationships and cross-cultural interactions, including increased interaction amongst students, athletes, artists, and academics.
Conversations with world leaders
Apart from the encounter with Dr. Yunus, PM Shehbaz also had meetings with numerous world leaders in the Egyptian capital at the D-8 summit.
He emphasized the need of operationalizing border markets in a bilateral meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in order to advance and enhance the standard of living for residents of the two neighbors’ border regions.
Additionally, he congratulated Iran on joining BRICS as a full member and asked Iran to back Pakistan’s admission to the group.
PM Shehbaz also met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where he underlined that the two nations should enhance economic cooperation in new areas for foreign investment and joint ventures, notably in IT, agriculture and green technology.
In their extensive discussions, the two presidents talked about enhancing their bilateral relationships, especially in the economic sector, in order to reach their $5 billion bilateral trade goal.
They decided to keep collaborating in order to strengthen their defense, trade, and economic ties. The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to standing by one another on fundamental matters of national concern, such as Pakistan’s backing of Turkiye’s position on the Cyprus issue and Turkiye’s support for Jammu and Kashmir.
Speech during the D-8 Summit
In his earlier statements at the D-8 Summit in Cairo, Prime Minister Shehbaz claimed that Pakistan has a “fountain of potential for innovation and growth” because 60% of its population is under 30.
One of the biggest freelance communities in the world is found in Pakistan. In order to provide our young people the skills they need to engage with the digital world and take advantage of these opportunities, we are concentrating on providing IT trainings on a large scale. Our goal is to turn job seekers into job creators,” he said.
In his reflection on the summit’s topic, “Investing in Youth and Supporting Small and Medium Enterprises,” the prime minister emphasized the importance of this approach in fostering opportunity and resilient economies.
He explained that encouraging youth and entrepreneurship offered D-8 member states a chance to harness the potential of the youth and establish conditions that would support the growth of small enterprises.
“The D-8 countries have a great opportunity to share best practices, pool resources, and develop programs that support youth and SMEs across borders at today’s summit,” he said.
Additionally, he said that the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement and associated Dispute Settlement Mechanisms protocol had been ratified by the nation’s federal cabinet.
PM Shehbaz also emphasized the significance of the truce in Gaza, saying that it was essential to ensuring peace, prosperity, and advancement both locally and internationally.
As we discussed today’s agenda, he said, “I would, in all humanity, urge my brother presidents, prime ministers, and other dignitaries sitting in this room that it was equally important to discuss the situation in Gaza, the peace and ceasefire in Lebanon, and the potential threat of Israel’s carnage.”
