Pakistan, Bangladesh discussed ‘some outstanding issues’: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Bangladesh discussed some outstanding issues in an environment of mutual understanding and respect, said the Foreign Office on Friday.

Responding to a query at the weekly press briefing, the Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said, “Some outstanding issues were indeed discussed during the consultations. However, both sides stated their respective positions on them in an environment of mutual understanding and respect.”

The spokesperson said the foreign secretary-level consultations between Pakistan and Bangladesh took place in a very cordial and constructive atmosphere contrary to the misleading reports propagating an anti-Pakistan narrative on rapprochement with Bangladesh.

He said the conduct of these consultations after a gap of 15 years testified to the existing goodwill and cordiality between the two countries.

“There is a torrent of fake news or sensational news by the forces, which I do not need to point out, trying to undermine the growing rapprochement between Pakistan and Bangladesh. But for record let me say: the foreign secretary level consultations took place in a very cordial and constructive atmosphere. The conduct of these consultations after a gap of 15 years is a testimony to the existing goodwill and cordiality between the two countries.

“Such misleading reports must not undermine the significance of this important development in bilateral relations. Some outstanding issues were indeed discussed during the consultations. However, both sides stated their respective positions on them in an environment of mutual understanding and respect,” a statement released to the media quoted the spokesperson as saying.

Meanwhile, after a long hiatus of three years, the Pakistani foreign minister will be visiting Afghanistan on Saturday (today) at the invitation of Taliban leadership, indicating that both the neighbours are willing to iron out the differences, bedeviling their relations.

“At the invitation of interim Afghan foreign minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will lead a high-level delegation to Kabul tomorrow, Saturday,” the Foreign Office announced.

During the day-long Saturday visit, Dar will call on the Afghan Acting Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar; and hold delegation-level talks with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

“The talks will cover the entire gamut of Pak-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways and means to deepen cooperation in all areas of mutual interests, including security, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties,” added the Foreign Office.

Friday also saw Dar chairing a high-level inter-ministerial preparatory meeting ahead of his visit to Kabul.

Thursday saw Pakistan and Afghanistan preparing for the meeting with the focus on trade when Afghan Acting Minister for Commerce and Industries Haji Nooruddin Azizi met with Dar. “Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in trade, transit, and regional connectivity. They also underlined the importance of maintaining high-level political engagement between the two neighbouring countries,” said the FO.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Dar Friday received Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Nurlan Yermekbayev, who is on an official visit to Pakistan. Both dignitaries had a useful exchange of views on SCO priorities and deliberated on ways and means for advancing cooperation under the SCO in the areas of transportation and logistics, energy security, food security, health, e-commerce and green economy.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office announced the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda Ambassador Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, on April 21-22. The Foreign Office also announced the visit of UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed on April 21.