ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy chief and the head of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) discussed strengthening defense cooperation on Thursday amid Dhaka’s ongoing tensions with Islamabad’s rival New Delhi.
The development takes place a day after Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and BAF chief Hasan Mahmood Khan held talks on the possible procurement of the JF-17 Thunder, a multi-role combat aircraft jointly developed with China, in Islamabad.
Pakistan and Bangladesh have moved closer since 2024 after the ouster of former premier Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after a violent uprising. New Delhi has angered Dhaka by not accepting its repeated requests to extradite the former Bangladeshi premier. The recent lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh also strained its ties with India further
Khan called on Pakistan Navy chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf at the Naval Headquarters in Islamabad, the Pakistan military’s media wing said.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual professional interest, the evolving regional security paradigm, and avenues for further strengthening bilateral defense cooperation were discussed,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan military’s press wing, said.
