Staff Reporter, Dhaka :
Ambassador Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan called on the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Ambassador Md. Jashim Uddin today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Siddiqui carried a letter from the Hon’ble Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan addressed to Hon’ble Adviser for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh and handed it over to the Foreign Secretary.

Both sides recalled the substantive discussion between Hon’ble Chief Adviser and Hon’ble Prime Minister of Pakistan during their meetings in Cairo on the sidelines of D-8 Summit in December 2024 and in New York in September 2024 on the sidelines of 79th UNGA. They also recalled the meeting between Hon’ble Foreign Adviser and Hon’ble Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting in Apia, Samoa in October 2024.

Both sides discussed the importance of holding the Foreign Secretary Level Consultations, last meeting of which was held in 2010 and meeting of Joint Economic Commission, last meeting of which was held in 2005. Discussion also covered on strengthening cooperation to enhance trade and reduce the trade gap. Both sides expressed satisfaction over recent visits of several trade delegations from Pakistan to Bangladesh and emphasized on the importance of visits by the product specific trade delegations from Bangladesh to Pakistan. Cooperation in the sectors of tourism, people-to-people contacts, cultural exchanges, the issue of forcibly displaced Rohingyas and cooperation in the international forum were also discussed.

The importance of strengthened regional and multilateral cooperation through SAARC, OIC, and D-8 was also highlighted. Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) was accompanied by the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh H.E. Mr. Syed Ahmed Maroof.