High commission denies reports of Pakistan’s PM visit to Bangladesh for ‘defence pact’

The Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka has rubbished reports that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir will visit Bangladesh.

Pakistani news website Islamabadpost had reported on Friday that the two would undertake a three day trip to Dhaka after Prime Minister Tarique Rahman returns from a trip to China.

“We have no knowledge of any such plans,” a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Dhaka mission told bdnews24.com Friday night.

The Bangladesh government has not officially announced any trip by the premier to China.

The Islamabadpost article had based its report on rumours allegedly circulating in diplomatic and media circles, calling the proposed high-level visit a potential “major breakthrough in bilateral relations between Islamabad and Dhaka”.

It cited “sources familiar with the matter” as claiming that several agreements on trade, connectivity, investment, cultural exchange, security cooperation, and a major defence pact would be signed during the trip.

“The most significant aspect of the reported discussions is said to be a large-scale defense cooperation framework between the two countries. Under the proposed arrangement, Pakistan’s military establishment would reportedly assist in the modernization of the Bangladesh Ordnance Factory (BOF), enabling it to manufacture sophisticated military hardware including drones, missile systems, ammunition, and advanced defense equipment,” the report claimed.

Islamabadpost also said the development would be part of a broader realignment of South Asian geopolitics, and went on to allege it could increase “trilateral strategic coordination involving Beijing, Islamabad, and Dhaka on economic and defense matters”.

Relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have thawed since the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina-led government in the 2024 July Uprising, with diplomatic exchanges, trade discussions, and renewed political engagement.