Pakistan, Bangladesh sign pacts as 1971 grievances linger

Pakistan's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, completed a two-day visit to Dhaka on Sunday during which he and Bangladeshi officials signed a set of cooperation agreements and pledged to revive ties, even as Bangladesh renewed demands for a formal apology and settlement over atrocities from the 1971 war of independence. The trip, described by Pakistan's Foreign Office as the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to Bangladesh in 13 years, included meetings with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain and other senior figures.

Dar and Yunus discussed regional developments and prospects for greater cooperation, with Yunus urging renewed regional engagement through the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and stressing people-to-people links, particularly among youth. The two sides oversaw the signing of multiple instruments that officials said will institutionalize cooperation on trade, diplomacy, media and cultural exchange. Pakistan's Foreign Office listed six instruments, including an agreement to waive visas for holders of diplomatic and official passports and a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint working...