Bangladesh halts visas to Pakistan nationals amid fresh diplomatic row

  • 5 years   ago
Bangladesh halts visas to Pakistan nationals amid fresh diplomatic row

Bangladesh has stopped issuance of visas to Pakistani nationals and apparently would not acknowledge the 'understanding' from Islamabad for arrangement of another High Commissioner to Dhaka after a visa-expansion utilization of its ambassador was continued pending. 

The Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad quit issuing visas to Pakistanis throughout the previous multi week as a sign of dissent as a Bangladeshi negotiator's visa-augmentation application has not been cleared by the Pakistan government for most recent four months, as indicated by media reports. 

As indicated by The Daily Star paper, Muhammad Iqbal Hossain, Counselor (Press) at the Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad, had submitted visa-expansion application to Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Ministry in January, which was therefore sent to its Interior Ministry. It has still not been cleared. 

Hossain's significant other and child additionally had connected for visas at the Pakistan High Commission yet they have not been conceded visas yet, the paper said. 

 

"Issuance of any visa to Pakistani nationals stays suspended as the visa counter in Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad has been shut since last Monday [May 13]," Hossain disclosed to Dhaka Tribune from the Pakistani capital. 

The Daily Star paper refered to a negotiator in Islamabad as expressing that the post of visa officer had been empty since November last and Hossain was additionally caring for this segment, notwithstanding his present charge. 

Media reports said Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs named Saqlain Syedah as its new High Commissioner to Bangladesh, yet Dhaka wouldn't acknowledge the "agrement", a conciliatory prerequisite under which a host nation needs to affirm arrangement of an approaching emissary. 

Brahma Chellaney, a key mastermind and creator, said that respective ties among Pakistan and Bangladesh have been stressed. 

"Bangladesh, which withdrew from Pakistan in 1971, has blamed Pakistan for financing fear based oppression on its dirt. Reciprocal ties have turned out to be strained to the point that Bangladesh has declined since 2018 to acknowledge Pakistan's new high magistrate. Presently it has ended conceding visas to all Pakistanis," Chellaney said in a tweet.

Comments