Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been urged by Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus to settle the unresolved issues of 1971 to advance Dhaka's relations with Islamabad.
Chief Adviser Dr. Yunus met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday (December 19) at a hotel in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, on the sidelines of the D-8 summit. At that time, the Chief Adviser said, the issues are coming up again and again. Let us resolve those issues to move forward.
In response, Sharif said, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India have resolved the issues in the 1974 tripartite agreement, but if there are other unresolved issues, he would be happy to see them.
Professor Yunus said, it would be better to resolve the issues permanently for future generations.
They agreed to strengthen ties between the two countries through increased trade and exchange of sports and cultural delegations.
A message obtained here said the two leaders expressed their desire to expand cooperation in new areas such as the sugar industry and dengue management.
Dr. Muhammad Yunus and Shehbaz Sharif discussed issues of mutual interest, including the revival of SAARC, a key feature of the foreign policy declared by the Chief Adviser after taking charge as the head of Bangladesh's interim government.
Dr. Muhammad Yunus, a 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, also mentioned his government's plan to carry out "necessary reforms" and hold general elections before mid-2026. The Chief Adviser said he was leading a consensus-building commission to discuss reforms.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for developing strategic ties between Dhaka and Islamabad. Shehbaz Sharif said, “We are really looking forward to strengthening relations with our brotherly Bangladesh.” He welcomed Dr. Yunus’ initiative in reviving SAARC and thanked Bangladesh for working on the possibility of hosting a summit of the regional organization.
Dr. Muhammad Yunus told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, “This is a top priority.” He said, “I am a big fan of the idea of SAARC. I will continue to talk about the issue. I want a summit of SAARC leaders.” He said, “Even if it is just for a photo shoot, it will carry a strong message.”
The Pakistani Prime Minister offered technical assistance to better manage Bangladesh’s state-run sugar mills. He expressed grief over the deaths due to the dengue outbreak in Bangladesh and said Dhaka can benefit from Pakistan’s experience in fighting the disease.
Shehbaz Sharif said, “About a decade ago, our fight against dengue in Punjab was praised as world-class. We can send a delegation to Bangladesh to share our experiences with Bangladeshi officials.
Dr. Muhammad Yunus thanked Shehbaz Sharif for his support and hoped that Pakistan and Bangladesh would continue this effort.
Among others, the event was attended by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Bangladesh's Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser Dr. Lutfe Siddiqui. Lutfe Siddiqui invited Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to visit Bangladesh on his way to Malaysia in February, and he accepted the offer.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also invited Dr. Muhammad Yunus to visit Pakistan at his convenience.