ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has arrived in Dhaka on a two-day official visit to represent Pakistan at the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-elect Tarique Rahman, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday.
Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, secured a decisive mandate in last week’s general elections — the first national vote since the 2024 uprising that ended the long tenure of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The FO said Iqbal would attend the oath-taking ceremony in Dhaka on February 17 on behalf of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who could not participate due to a prior overseas engagement.
“Pakistan’s participation in the ceremony reflects its support for Bangladesh’s democratic process and underscores its commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Vienna on a two-day official visit to Austria aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
During the visit, the prime minister held talks with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, focusing on expanding trade, increasing investment and strengthening economic ties. He also met senior officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to discuss cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy, counter-narcotics, crime prevention and sustainable industrial development.
After concluding his visit to Austria, the prime minister arrived in the United Kingdom, where he was received at Luton Airport by Pakistan’s High Commissioner Dr Muhammad Faisal and diplomatic officials, along with representatives of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-UK chapter.
The prime minister is scheduled to remain in London for two days before departing for the United States to participate in a meeting of the ‘Board of Peace’ initiative launched by President Donald Trump for the reconstruction of war-affected Gaza. He is also expected to spend a few additional days in London on his return before heading back to Pakistan.