Pakistan’s Foreign Policy towards Bangladesh
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Date
2022
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Publisher
UMT.lahore
Abstract
Pakistan and Bangladesh are indispensable in historical ties, economic interdependence, and
geostrategic objectives. Geographical factors, economic exchanges, commercial ties, ethno
cultural closeness, and historical ties provide several opportunities for developing friendly,
cooperative relations between the two nations. It is indisputable that the events leading up to East
Pakistan’s nine-month civil war in 1971, culminating in the third Indo-Pakistan War and
Bangladesh’s independence, is the most significant in South Asia since 1947. Historical events
still influence internal politics and international relations in the Subcontinent. Even today, the
most widely accepted theories for what occurred prior to the formation of Bangladesh in 1971
hold that it was the result of random occurrences, global historical processes, and the activities of
political actors. On 16 December 1971, after 24 years of fierce interaction between East and
West wings, Pakistan disintegrated, and a violent liberation movement ended in the foundation
of Bangladesh. Despite the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and
Bangladesh in 1974 due to mutual recognition, the bitterness of the past and memories of the
1971 civil war in East Pakistan persisted in the post-1971 period and impacted the bilateral
relations between the two independent states. Despite better relations, the trust deficit and
antagonism continue to resurface due to unresolved issues between the two nations.
This study seeks to investigate the outstanding issues between Pakistan and Bangladesh. It also
examines the obstacles to tackling these issues. It states that a durable relationship between two
regional powers is necessary to challenge Indian supremacy in the region and that this is only
possible if they escape from the weight of history.