Pakistan PM Imran Khan made a telephone name to Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina
Kolkata:
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s telephone name to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina and a press launch from Islamabad saying Mr Khan shared his issues about Jammu and Kashmir has raised buzz in view of the shifting dynamics in India’s neighbourhood and the clashes with China along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.
As ties with Nepal turned prickly during the last months, Islamabad’s profitable overtures to Dhaka have given rise to conjecture a few doable dilution of Bangladesh’s staunch pro-India stand.
There are issues that China, already a robust influencer in Bangladesh, might have had a job within the telephone name, which comes after months of strained relations.
On Kashmir, contrasting statements have emerged from the 2 international locations.
Dhaka’s temporary two-paragraph assertion didn’t point out Kashmir in any respect, sustaining the 2 leaders mentioned the coronavirus disaster and floods in Bangladesh.
Pakistan’s eight-paragraph assertion mentioned Prime Minister Imran Khan “shared Pakistan’s perspective” on Kashmir and “harassed the significance of peaceable decision”.
The Overseas Ministry mentioned there is no such thing as a trigger for concern. “Our relationships with Bangladesh are time-tested and historic. We admire their constant stand that Jammu and Kashmir and all its developments are India’s inner issues. It is a stand they’ve at all times taken,” mentioned Ministry of Exterior Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava when requested about developments at a press meet in New Delhi on Friday.
However some foreign policy experts are not convinced.
“After all India needs to be frightened,” mentioned Subir Bhaumik, Kolkata-based analyst and editor of the information portal Jap Hyperlink. “The way in which the restoration of diplomatic relations has taken place between Bangladesh and Pakistan, the sudden change of temper particularly at a time when India is having hassle with China in Ladakh, smacks of some behind-the-scenes diplomatic manoeuvres,” Mr Bhaumik mentioned.
Of particular concern, he added, is pro-Pakistan voices in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s workplace, “and Kashmir being raised”.
“Sheikh Hasina has crossed a Laxman Rekha in fairly a decisive approach,” Mr Bhaumik added.
Sources mentioned there was no outreach to India from Bangladesh after the talks with Imran Khan.
Former international secretary Krishnan Srinivasan says there is no such thing as a trigger for alarm. “Two regional prime ministers speaking is just not uncommon. As prime ministers of two Islamic international locations, it isn’t shocking Kashmir figured of their talks,” he mentioned.
When Jammu and Kashmir’s particular powers granted beneath Article 370 had been scrapped, Dhaka had taken the stance that it was an inner matter of India.
That was what Dhaka had additionally mentioned in regards to the Citizenship (Modification) Act.
However its Overseas Minister Abdul Moomen cancelled his December go to to Delhi after stating the Citizenship (Modification) Act might weaken India’s historic character as a secular nation.
Mr Moomen additionally obtained New Delhi’s antenna up early July when he met Pakistan’s new envoy to Dhaka.
Some analysts mentioned Islamabad’s voice is louder nowadays than earlier than in Dhaka, even contained in the Prime Minister’s Workplace. One of many alleged pro-Pakistan voices is billionaire businessman Salman Fazlur Rehman, appointed Personal Sector Business and Funding Advisor to Sheikh Hasina final yr, sources mentioned.
Salman Fazlur Rehman is the vice chairman of the nation’s largest enterprise conglomerate Beximco.
An American embassy cable launched by WikiLeaks described him as “allegedly one among Bangladesh’s largest mortgage defaulters”.
Source link
