Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, has postponed his upcoming visit to Bangladesh, amid escalating tensions with India over Kashmir issue.
A senior official at Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka confirmed the postponement, citing a statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan will not be able to visit Bangladesh on 27–28 April 2025.”
It added that new dates will be determined through mutual consultations between the two sides.
Pakistan reportedly requested a postponement of the visit, assuring that Ishaq Dar will visit Dhaka at earliest opportunity once the situation stabilizes.
The visit had been expected to follow up on recent progress in bilateral ties. Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Amna Baloch, recently visited Dhaka, marking the first foreign secretary-level talks between two countries in nearly 15 years.
During her trip, both sides finalized the dates for Ishaq Dar’s visit and preparations were underway in both capitals.
Sources within Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Ishaq Dar was scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain on 28 April. He was also expected to pay a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Dr. Yunus.
The visit was also expected to result in signing of several memoranda of understanding in areas including trade, investment and cultural cooperation.
The last time a Pakistani foreign minister visited Dhaka was in 2012, when Hina Rabbani Khar came to extend an invitation to then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend a D-8 summit in Islamabad.
A decade later, in July 2022, there was a possibility of Khar returning to Dhaka for another D-8 meeting, this time as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. However, she ultimately did not attend.
SH
