Pakistan has sidestepped unresolved issues raised by Bangladesh during the recent Foreign Secretary-level talks held in Dhaka, as reflected in an official statement issued by Islamabad following the meeting.

The bilateral meeting, held on Thursday (April 17), was led by Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary M Jasim Uddin and his Pakistani counterpart, Amna Baloch.

During the talks, Bangladesh reiterated longstanding demands, including repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, a fair share of pre-1971 undivided assets, transfer of foreign aid received for victims of the 1970 cyclone, and an official apology for the 1971 genocide committed by the then Pakistani military.

Foreign Secretary M Jasim Uddin said that Bangladesh's claim to its share of undivided Pakistan’s assets stands at $4.32 billion, in addition to $200 million in international aid intended for cyclone victims that has yet to be transferred.

However, in a press release issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 18, none of these unresolved issues were mentioned. Instead, the statement focused on commitments to strengthen bilateral ties, support for Palestine amid Israeli attacks on Gaza, and Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, claiming the region is “illegally occupied” by India.

The meeting marked the first high-level diplomatic engagement of its kind in 15 years. The last Foreign Secretary-level dialogue between the two countries took place in Islamabad in November 2010.

BDST: 1245 HRS, APR 19, 2025
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