Pakistan`s foreign secretary arrives for FOC

Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday as Bangladesh and Pakistan are set to hold the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) on Thursday after a gap of 15 years. 

Director General of South Asia Wing at Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Ishrat Jahan welcomed her upon arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin and Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Baloch will lead the Bangladesh and Pakistan sides respectively at the FOC to be held at the state guest house Padma. 
 
The two sides are expected to discuss the entire range of bilateral issues, a foreign ministry's official said on Tuesday noting that as no specific agenda has been fixed, all areas of mutual interest are likely to be covered during the discussion.

The official said, “After such a long hiatus, it is difficult to prioritize topics in advance, but the talks will be comprehensive.” 
Bangladesh's High Commissioner to Pakistan, Md Iqbal Hussain Khan, who is currently in Dhaka to attend the meeting, said Islamabad is particularly keen to enhance trade ties with Dhaka.

“Pakistan sees potential for boosting exports to Bangladesh, especially if their products are price competitive,” he said. 
The envoy added that as Pakistan serves as a gateway for goods from Afghanistan and Iran, there is scope for Bangladesh to explore imports via Pakistan, provided transport costs remain low.

On the issue of direct air connectivity, High Commissioner Khan said that apart from Fly Jinnah, another Pakistani private carrier, Air Sial-based in Sialkot-has applied to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to operate flights to Dhaka.
The direct air link is anticipated to boost tourism and promote greater people-to-people contact between the two countries, the envoy noted.

When asked about unresolved historical issues between the two nations, the high commissioner said such matters often persist in bilateral relations worldwide, but those should not hinder current engagement or economic cooperation.

During her stay in Dhaka, Foreign Secretary Baloch is expected to pay courtesy calls on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain following the FOC on Thursday.

Additionally, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar are scheduled to visit Dhaka later this month. It will be the maiden visit by a Pakistani foreign minister since 2012.

The last FOC between Bangladesh and Pakistan was held in 2010.