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KARACHI: Pakistan and Bangladesh have reached a principled agreement to allow visa-free entry for diplomatic and official passport holders, Islamabad said on Wednesday, a move signaling a further thaw in bilateral ties long shaped by historical hostility.

Wednesday’s agreement marks one of the most concrete outcomes of a rapprochement between Pakistan and Bangladesh, particularly in the realm of internal security cooperation and diplomatic facilitation.

In recent months both countries have taken steps to rebuild ties. The last high-level Pakistani visit to Dhaka was by Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch earlier this year, part of a broader effort by Islamabad to reset regional relations amid shifting geopolitical alignments and shared security concerns.

The decision on the visa pact was announced during a high-level meeting between Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh’s Home Minister Lt. Gen. (R) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, held in Dhaka on Wednesday.

“A significant breakthrough was achieved on the facilitation of visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports, and both countries reached a principled agreement on this matter,” a statement by the Pakistani interior ministry said, without providing an implementation date for the pact.

The two sides also agreed to bolster cooperation on internal security, police training, counterterrorism, anti-narcotics, and efforts to combat human trafficking. A joint committee will now be formed to institutionalize this cooperation, to be led on Pakistan’s side by Federal Interior Secretary Khurram Agha.

The two ministers agreed to launch exchange programs between police academies, and a Bangladeshi delegation will soon visit Pakistan’s National Police Academy in Islamabad, the statement said.

“Your visit is of great significance for strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries,” Bangladesh’s Home Minister, who welcomed Naqvi with a guard of honor at the Ministry of Home Affairs, was quoted as saying in the Pakistani statement.

He also expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s offer to provide training opportunities for Bangladeshi police officers.

For decades, Bangladesh enjoyed historically close ties with Pakistan’s archrival India, its wartime ally and key economic partner. Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh, previously a part of Pakistan, on the other hand have historically been tense, rooted in the violent 1971 war that led to Bangladesh’s independence and accusations of wartime atrocities. Diplomatic engagement remained minimal for years, and high-level visits were rare.

But that regional alignment has shifted dramatically since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India following her government’s collapse last year. As Dhaka’s relations with New Delhi have cooled amid accusations of political interference and border tensions, its diplomatic engagement with Islamabad has deepened, marking a rare reset between two countries long divided by history.

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan and Pakistan have signed a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to reduce tariffs on eight agricultural products, the Afghan embassy in Islamabad announced on Wednesday, in a rare move of economic cooperation between the two neighbors with often-tense ties.

The agreement, signed by senior commerce officials from both countries, will reduce customs duties on four Afghan exports to Pakistan — grapes, pomegranates, apples, and tomatoes — and four Pakistani exports to Afghanistan — mangoes, kinnows, bananas, and potatoes.

Tariff rates on these items, which previously exceeded 60%, will now be capped at 27%.

“This agreement will be effective for a period of one year, commencing on August 1, 2025,” the Afghan embassy said on X.

“It is renewable and also allows for the inclusion of additional items in the future.”

The deal was signed by Mullah Ahmadullah Zahid, Deputy Minister at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and Jawad Paul, Pakistan’s Deputy Commerce Minister.

The agreement comes at a time of strained political and security relations between Kabul and Islamabad, marked by border closures, mutual accusations over cross-border militant activity, and reduced formal trade volumes since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

Still, both countries remain heavily reliant on overland trade routes, and fruit exports have long played a vital role in seasonal cross-border commerce.

In the first half of 2025, Pakistan and Afghanistan’s bilateral trade reached nearly $1 billion, with Afghan exports to Pakistan totaling $277 million and Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan reaching $712 million. This growth is partly attributed to increased Pakistani exports, including medical supplies, parboiled rice, and sugar. However, trade volume is still below potential, with estimates suggesting it could reach $8 to $10 billion annually if obstacles are overcome.

Obstacles to trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan include border closures, security concerns, and issues with trade facilitation. Specifically, frequent closures of border crossing points like Torkham and Spin Boldak, triggered by political tensions or security incidents, disrupt trade flows and cause financial losses for businesses. Additionally, challenges related to trade facilitation, customs procedures, and transit infrastructure further hinder the smooth movement of goods.