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Pakistan''s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will arrive in Dhaka on August 23 for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations with the country, officials said.
Dar was initially scheduled to visit Bangladesh on April 27, following the visit of Pakistan''s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch. However, the visit was postponed due to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam. During the upcoming visit, Dar is expected to meet with Bangladesh''s Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus. He is also scheduled to hold formal bilateral talks with Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain. Officials said various aspects of bilateral cooperation, including several unresolved issues between the two countries, are expected to be discussed. Several agreements may be signed during the visit. During Amna Baloch''s visit, Bangladesh reiterated its demand for a formal apology from Pakistan for the atrocities committed by the Pakistani army during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Dhaka also raised pending issues such as the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis and the division of pre-independence assets. These matters may again be brought up during Dar''s visit, according to officials. Discussions may also include trade, connectivity, cultural exchanges, and regional and international developments. The interim government in Bangladesh has taken steps to enhance connectivity with Pakistan. During former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina''s tenure, visa restrictions were imposed on Pakistani citizens, but those restrictions have since been relaxed. Additionally, shipping services between Chittagong and Karachi have been resumed. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus declared last week that the next general election in the country will be held in February 2026. He announced the election timeframe during his address to the nation via state television, BTV and radio to mark the first anniversary of the uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "On behalf of the interim government, I will write to the Chief Election Commissioner, requesting that the Election Commission organise a national election in February 2026, before the next Ramadan," Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said. "We will all begin mental preparation and institutional arrangements from tomorrow to complete all arrangements so that this year''s election is memorable in the country''s history in terms of joy and celebration, peace and order, voter turnout, and cordiality," he added. (ANI)
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