Pakistan deepens Bangladesh détente with high-level visits as leaders sign pacts, push trade
Pakistan deepens Bangladesh détente with high-level visits as leaders sign pacts, push trade/node/2612949/pakistan
Pakistan deepens Bangladesh détente with high-level visits as leaders sign pacts, push trade
Representative from Pakistan (left) shaking hands with counterpart from Bangladesh with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (second left) in the background in Dhaka, Bangladesh on August 24, 2025. (Government of Pakistan)
ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistani officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Commerce Minister Jam Kamal, wrapped up high-level visits to Bangladesh last week as both nations seek to mend decades of strained ties.
The trips saw multiple agreements signed, including a visa waiver for diplomats, the establishment of a joint working group on trade, and cooperation between foreign service academies, with discussions centered on boosting economic cooperation and investment.
“In all his engagements, the DPM/FM expressed Pakistan’s strong desire to forge a brotherly relationship with Bangladesh for the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement on Monday, following the conclusion of Dar’s two-day visit from Aug. 23–24.
During his meetings with Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, Dar discussed bilateral relations, trade, people-to-people contacts, cultural exchanges, and cooperation in education, humanitarian issues, and sports.
He also met opposition leaders, including Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Khalida Zia and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rehman.
“The two sides emphasized the need for sustaining the existing momentum of positive developments in bilateral relations,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said on Sunday. “In that connection, they agreed to focus on regular institutional dialogue, early finalization of pending agreements and MoUs, and enhanced cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, education, capacity building, and connectivity.”
Commerce Minister Jam Kamal, who spent four days in Dhaka, met with business leaders across sectors during visits to Bangladesh’s Chambers of Commerce and Industries. His trip concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the Joint Working Group on Trade.
The visits mark an effort by Islamabad and Dhaka to reset ties after decades of bitterness rooted in Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence, which ended 24 years of the two countries existing as one.
Analysts say the 2024 ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, under whose government Dhaka leaned more heavily toward Pakistan’s arch rival New Delhi, has helped create space for closer engagement between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Seventeen security personnel wounded in assault in northwestern Hangu district, police say
Latest attack comes weeks after military launched operation in northwestern Bajaur district
Updated 16 sec ago
AP
PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Militants attacked a security forces camp in northwestern Pakistan on Monday, sparking an hours-long gunbattle that left at least three officers and one assailant dead, police said.
Seventeen security personnel were wounded in the assault in Hangu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to local police official Nazar Mohammad. He said security forces quickly responded and launched a search operation in the nearby mountains to track down the attackers who fled.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to the slain officers in a statement and directed authorities to provide the best possible medical treatment to the wounded.
No group immediately claimed responsibility, but the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, have claimed responsibility for similar attacks in the past.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in such attacks in recent months.
The latest attack in Hangu comes weeks after Pakistan’s military launched a “targeted operation” against TTP in another northwestern district, Bajaur displacing nearly 100,000 residents. So far, authorities have not released any details about the ongoing operation. Pakistan carried out an operation in Bajaur against TTP in 2009 as well.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s state-run National Logistics Cell (NLC) and Dubai-based global logistics firm DP World have completed their first commercial cargo delivery from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Tajikistan via Karachi, state media reported on Monday, marking a milestone in Pakistan’s bid to become a regional trade hub.
The cargo, 38 tons of automotive spare parts, was shipped from Jebel Ali port in Dubai to Karachi and then transported overland to the Tajik capital Dushanbe. The journey was completed in just 16 days, which DP World said in a video was the fastest transit time currently available between Dubai and Dushanbe. Competing routes typically take between 20 and 70 days.
“NLC and DP World transported 38 tons of automotive spare parts to Tajik capital Dushanbe,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. “This achievement was made possible through NLC’s professional expertise and modern logistics infrastructure.”
In a video shared by Radio Pakistan, DP World said the rapid delivery underscored Pakistan’s emerging role in regional trade.
National Logistics Cell and DP World have successfully completed the first commercial cargo delivery from the to
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan)
“Pakistan’s growing logistics capabilities is ensuring trade flows across the region,” the company said. “As Central Asia’s demand rises, Pakistan’s role as a connector is more vital than ever.”
The development highlights the deepening partnership between NLC, Pakistan’s premier logistics organization, and DP World, which has stepped up investment in Pakistan’s freight corridors and port facilities.
In January 2024, the two sides signed an agreement under which DP World will upgrade Qasim International Container Terminal, Pakistan’s busiest trade gateway, and help develop the Karachi Freight Corridor to improve cargo movement across the country. Earlier this year, the partnership dispatched Pakistan’s first commercial goods convoy to Central Asia.
The delivery also comes as Pakistan seeks to deepen economic cooperation with the UAE, its third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. The Gulf country has invested over $10 billion in Pakistan in the last two decades, according to the UAE foreign ministry, and hosts nearly 1.8 million Pakistani expatriates.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s commerce ministry announced plans to establish a “Pakistan Mart” near Dubai’s Jebel Ali port to showcase Pakistani products to international buyers. DP World will build the facility at no cost to Pakistani stakeholders, Islamabad said.
In January 2024, Pakistan and the UAE also signed agreements worth more than $3 billion covering cooperation in railways, special economic zones, and infrastructure.
Pakistan is positioning itself as a key transit hub between the Gulf and landlocked Central Asian states, where demand for goods is growing. The UAE has long been a major entry point for cargo into the region, and the new corridor through Karachi offers both countries a faster, more reliable trade route.
By investing in freight and port infrastructure, Islamabad hopes to capture a larger share of regional trade flows, a goal that has gained urgency as Pakistan struggles to revive its economy and expand exports.
“Pakistan’s growing logistics capabilities is ensuring trade flows across the region,” DP World said. “As Central Asia’s demand rises, Pakistan’s role as a connector is more vital than ever.”
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani disaster management authorities on Monday issued fresh flood warnings for two major rivers as heavy monsoon rains continue to batter the country, with the death toll from weather-related incidents since late June climbing close to 800.
The most devastating spell of the monsoon began on August 15 and has killed at least 485 people in just 10 days. Since the start of the season on June 26, official figures show 798 deaths, underscoring the scale of the disaster in a country ranked among the most climate-vulnerable in the world.
“NDMA’s National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) has issued a flood alert for River Ravi over the next 48 hours, indicating a medium-level threat,” the authority said in its latest alert on Monday.
According to hydrological data, inflows at Thein Dam on the Indian side have reached 1,717 feet, or about 86 percent of its capacity.
“Downstream releases from Thein Dam, combined with rising nullah discharges on the Indian side, are likely to further elevate river flows,” the NDMA said.
Members of the Rescue 1122 team sit on a boat with the monsoon rain clouds in the background, as they are waiting for residents to evacuate, due to the monsoon rains and rising water level of the Sutlej River, in Ghatti Kalanjar village near the Pakistan-India border in Kasur district of the Punjab province, Pakistan, on August 24, 2025. (REUTERS)
Medium to high flows are expected in nullahs originating from the Pir Panjal Range, particularly Bein, Basantar and Deg, with low to medium flooding likely at Jassar in the next 24 hours.
Residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas have been urged to remain alert, avoid unnecessary travel near riverbanks and strictly follow official flood warnings. The NDMA advised communities to prepare emergency kits with food, water and medical supplies for up to five days, secure valuables and livestock, and avoid crossing causeways, low bridges and flooded roads.
Separately, the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported a high flood in the Sutlej River at Harike, downstream of India.
“River Sutlej (Harike below) has been reported to be at high flood level at 10:00 hrs (25th August, 2025) which will affect the incoming water levels downstream,” the PDMA said in its flood alert.
Authorities in Punjab have directed commissioners and deputy commissioners in multiple districts, including Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan, to remain on high alert. PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia instructed local administrations to complete emergency preparations, pre-position rescue teams at sensitive locations, and issue community warnings through mosques and local announcements.
The PDMA has said the province was experiencing its eighth monsoon spell, expected to last until August 27. Heavy rains have been forecast in the next 24 hours across most districts, with upper Punjab, including Murree, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal, likely to receive the heaviest downpours.
The PDMA reported no casualties or damages in the past 24 hours but directed district administrations in vulnerable areas to remain on high alert. Citizens were urged to adopt safety measures during the rains, especially keeping children away from rivers, canals and storm drains.
Separately, the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) said on Sunday that the Chenab and Indus rivers were likely to reach high flood levels in the next 24 hours, while the Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala would remain at high flood levels for several days, depending on releases from Indian reservoirs.
Residents stand at the premises of their house flooded due to the monsoon rains and rising water level of the Sutlej River, in Hakuwala village near the Pakistan-India border in Kasur district of the Punjab province, Pakistan, on August 23, 2025. (REUTERS)
SHIFTING CLIMATE PATTERNS
Since the monsoon season started on June 26, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has reported 479 deaths, followed by Punjab with 165, Sindh 54, Gilgit-Baltistan 45, Balochistan 24, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 23 and the capital, Islamabad, eight, according to official figures.
Authorities say the ongoing monsoon spell is expected to last until at least September 10 and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned the rains could rival the scale of the catastrophic floods of June 2022, which killed more than 1,700 people and caused over $30 billion in damage, according to government estimates.
“During 25th August: Landslides/mudslides may cause road closures in vulnerable hilly areas of Kashmir during the forecast period,” the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said in its daily forecast on Monday morning.
“Heavy downpour may cause urban flood in low lying areas of Narowal, Sialkot, Gujarat, Jhelum, Gujranwala and Lahore.”
The PMD also cautioned that heavy rain, windstorms and lightning could damage weak structures such as the roofs of mud houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels.
Annual monsoon rains are crucial for Pakistan’s agriculture and water supply but in recent years have also unleashed devastation, intensified by shifting climate patterns.
Despite contributing less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan ranks among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. In recent years it has endured increasingly erratic weather, including droughts, heatwaves and record-breaking rains that have caused widespread loss of life and damage to property.
Experts warn that without urgent adaptation and mitigation measures, the human and economic toll of climate change in Pakistan will only deepen in the years ahead.
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank said on Monday it had approved a $47.9 million grant to support education reforms in Pakistan’s Punjab province, aiming to expand access to schooling, strengthen teacher training, and improve learning outcomes for millions of children.
The funds, provided through the Global Partnership for Education Fund, will finance the Getting Results: Access and Delivery of Quality Education Services and System Transformation in Punjab Project. The initiative will expand early childhood education, re-enroll out-of-school children, provide remedial learning at the elementary level, and strengthen the sector’s ability to respond to climate shocks and emergencies.
The announcement comes as Pakistan continues to grapple with a severe education crisis. According to UNICEF and government estimates, about 26 million children remain out of school nationwide, the majority of them girls. Punjab, the country’s most populous province, has made progress in expanding access but still struggles with gaps in quality, inclusivity, and resilience to climate-related disruptions such as floods.
“This project represents a crucial step toward addressing learning poverty and ensuring equitable access to quality education across Punjab,” said Bolormaa Amgaabazar, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan.
The project aims to directly benefit more than 4 million children, including 80,000 out-of-school children, three million enrolled in provincial schools, about 850,000 in the non-formal sector, and 140,000 differently abled children in special education institutions. More than 100,000 teachers and school leaders will also receive professional development, while parents and communities will be engaged through awareness campaigns.
According to the World Bank, the program is designed to strengthen foundational learning, build system capacity, and promote behavioral change to support long-term human capital development.
“The project is aligned with the Government of Punjab’s broader education reform agenda, which seeks to create a more effective, accountable, and inclusive education system,” said Izza Farrakh, World Bank Task Team Leader for the project. “It will do so by supporting the government’s efforts to improve governance, management, and capacity in the education sector.”
Since joining the World Bank in 1950, Pakistan has received more than $48 billion in assistance. The Bank’s current portfolio in the country includes 54 projects with commitments totaling $15.7 billion. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Bank’s private sector arm, has invested about $13 billion in Pakistan since 1956, supporting projects in renewable energy, financial inclusion, infrastructure, health care, and trade.
ISLAMABAD: India on Sunday warned Pakistan of a high flood level in the River Tawi in Indian-administered Kashmir, despite New Delhi having suspended a decades-old water-sharing treaty that requires it to share hydrological data with its neighbor.
The Indian High Commission in Islamabad issued a flood warning about the River Tawi, which joins Pakistan’s Chenab River and runs through the border districts of Gujrat and Sialkot. The alert came even though India announced in April it was putting the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance after blaming Pakistan for an attack in Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. Pakistan denied involvement and demanded an international probe.
The suspension of the treaty meant India could stop sharing critical information on water releases and flooding and was no longer required to maintain minimum flows to Pakistan during the dry season.
A letter from the Indian High Commission in Pakistan on Sunday, seen by Arab News, said:
“The High Commission of India to Pakistan presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamabad and has the honor to convey the following flood data. River and site Name: Tawi, Jammu. Date/Time: 24th August 2025, 10.00 Hrs, flood data: high flood.”
Following the warning, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Punjab issued a flood alert, warning that rising waters in the River Tawi were likely to affect levels in Gujrat and Sialkot via the Chenab. District administrations were asked to activate flood monitoring and early warning systems and ensure a coordinated response.
Under the IWT, in force since 1960, Pakistan has rights to the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — for irrigation, drinking, and non-consumptive uses such as hydropower. India controls the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — but can also use the western rivers for limited power generation and irrigation, provided it does not alter their flow significantly.
Pakistan reacted strongly to India’s suspension of the treaty in April, warning that any move by New Delhi to stop or divert its share of waters guaranteed under the IWT would be considered “an act of war.”
The latest Indian warning came as Pakistan reels from deadly monsoon rains, with nearly 800 people killed since June 26 due to heavy showers, flash floods and landslides.
