Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar flew to Bangladesh on Saturday as the nations seek to rebuild ties with regional power balances shifting. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is the most senior Pakistani official to visit Dhaka since 2012, with Islamabad calling it a "significant milestone in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations".  The two Muslim-majority nations are expected to sign several agreements including on trade on Sunday.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said Dar would meet with Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus. Analysts say neighbouring India, which fought a four-day conflict with Pakistan in May, will be watching closely. Relations between Dhaka and New Delhi turned icy in August 2024 after a mass uprising in Bangladesh ended the autocratic rule of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, prompting her to flee to India.

"Bangladesh had been one of India's closest partners in its neighbourhood, and now it is flirting with India's chief adversary," said Michael Kugelman, a US-based analyst, ahead of the visit. Pakistan and Bangladesh began sea trade last year, expanding government-to-government commerce in February. Islamabad's Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan held talks Thursday in Dhaka, where he agreed to set up joint commissions to boost trade and investment.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)