From Abid Usman
LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday stressed on the need to work to strengthen ties with Bangladesh.
President Zardari was speaking at a reception held in honour of the Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket teams here at the Governor’s house. Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi also attended the function. The president met and shook hands with the cricketers and officials from both the teams.
The president lauded Pakistan’s cricket team’s performance in the ongoing cricket series.
He noted that the Bangladesh cricket team is visiting Pakistan as ambassadors and has also displayed high-quality performance.
Recalling the past, the president said he belonged to the generation that witnessed separation. “Today’s generation cannot feel the pain. We need to heal those wounds.”
He paid heaped praise on the Bengali nation which was “once among the richest in the region. We must work for the welfare of the people of both countries and take joint steps that ensure prosperity for them.”
The president said that now Bangladesh is recognised as a successful country globally. “Just like Pakistan, Allah has also blessed Bangladesh with natural resources. There are vast opportunities for cooperation between the two nations. The younger generations of both countries need to increase connections, and sports serve as a bridge to foster ties.”
Earlier, In the wake of heightened tensions following the Pahalgam incident and the subsequent unilateral ‘suspension’ of the Indus Waters Treaty, South Asia once again finds itself at the edge of a precipice.
With skirmishes recently reported across the Line of Control and diplomatic relations fraying at an unprecedented pace, Pakistan must now recalibrate its strategic posture – not just militarily, but diplomatically.
A golden yet urgent opportunity presents itself in the shifting political sands of Bangladesh.
For decades, Dhaka remained under the grip of Sheikh Hasina Wajid, daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the man who led East Pakistan’s separation under India’s patronage.
Her government was a close ally of New Delhi, serving not only as a trade partner but as a strategic buffer in India’s hegemonic plans. However, the tides of history are once again shifting.
The massive civilian uprising that led to the deposition of Sheikh Hasina marks a critical turning point. No longer does Bangladesh’s political future lie solely in the lap of Indian policymakers or RAW-supported regimes.
The youth of Bangladesh – conscious of the manipulations that led to 1971’s division and frustrated by India’s overreach – has ignited a national soul-searching.
It is in this backdrop Pakistan must act swiftly and wisely to forge an emergency diplomatic and strategic pact with Bangladesh.
The Case for a Pakistan-Bangladesh Alliance: India’s aggressive posturing and its calculated provocation of nuclear-armed Pakistan isn’t isolated. It fits into a broader agenda backed by powerful global actors including Israel and, at times, a complicit West.
The announcement of a temporary ceasefire by President Trump – on the surface, an olive branch – must be scrutinised. It may very well be a tactical ploy, buying time for India to regroup and strike Pakistan’s sensitive installations under international silence.
In such volatile circumstances, Pakistan needs to build a new regional bloc – a moral and strategic alliance with states that understand the dangers of Indian expansionism.
With China already aligned, the inclusion of a post-Hasina Bangladesh would be a regional game changer.
Shared History: Despite the painful events of 1971, the cultural and religious bonds between Pakistan and Bangladesh remain deep.
Both are Muslim-majority nations with colonial scars and shared aspirations of sovereignty and justice.
Geo-strategic Balance: A united front from Pakistan and Bangladesh would corner India both from the west and the east, breaking its confidence and forcing it into diplomatic submission.
