Pakistan Foreign Minister Dar meets Khaleda in Dhaka

The meeting, joined by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, lasts 45 minutes

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has met with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Dhaka.

Dar, also the deputy prime minister, arrived at her Gulshan residence “Feroza” at 7pm on Sunday.

The meeting lasted 45 minutes and was attended by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and AZM Zahid Hossain.

A six-strong Pakistani delegation, including Pakistani High Commissioner Imran Haider, was also present at the meeting.

Following the meeting, Zahid said: "He primarily came to inquire about her health. He wished her a speedy recovery."

Dar conveyed good wishes to the former prime minister on behalf of Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and former premier Nawaz Sharif, he added.

Zahid said the meeting focused on topics such as developing bilateral ties and strengthening the South Asian cooperation forum, SAARC, but "no discussion was held on the country's politics”.

In 2012, when Pakistan's former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited Dhaka, she also met with the BNP chairperson at her Gulshan residence.

Dar arrived in Dhaka on Saturday for a two-day visit. He met with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and led Pakistan's delegation in an official meeting with the interim government head.

He also held separate meetings with leaders from the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party.