ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday in a telephonic conversation with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina Wajid offered condolences on deaths because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Among the worst-hit countries in the region, Bangladesh’s coronavirus toll stands at 213,254 amid 2,751 deaths. Some 117,202 people have completely recovered so far.
According to Radio Pakistan, the prime minister also expressed grief over the loss of lives and property in the recent wave of heavy monsoon rains which witnessed one-third of the country underwater, affecting at least 1.5 million people.
The premier, while praying for the early recovery of the people, commended the Bangladeshi leadership for measures adopted to contain the spread of the virus, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI spoke with H.E. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of People’s Republic of Bangladesh via telephone today. pic.twitter.com/zKxdU8Ookh
— Prime Minister’s Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) July 22, 2020
The two leaders exchanged views on their respective strategies to deal with the health crisis, Radio Pakistan said.
Imran also apprised Wajid of his global debt relief initiative aimed at providing much-needed fiscal space to economies overwhelmed by the sudden outbreak of the pandemic.
Prime Minister Imran also underscored the importance Islamabad attaches to ties with Dhaka and highlighted the significance of bilateral contacts and people-to-people exchanges. He said Pakistan is committed to strengthening relations with Bangladesh on the basis of mutual trust and respect.
Reaffirming the country’s commitment to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), the premier underlined the importance of both countries working for enhanced regional cooperation to achieve sustainable peace and prosperity.
Imran also shared Pakistan’s take on the grave human rights violations in Indian occupied Kashmir and stressed the importance of peaceful resolution of the dispute for a secure future.
Imran also extended an invitation to Wajid to visit Pakistan.
