A reset with Bangladesh is most promising and has opened new vistas of regional cooperation. The foreign secretary-level talks held in Dhaka, after a hiatus of 15 years, under the Foreign Office Consultations theme has formally kick-started the momentum for reviving organic relations.
The good point is that much progress has already been attained since the departure of the Sheikh Hasina government which had always seen Pakistan from a jaundiced lens of otherness.
The new administration of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, however, felt that this estrangement is uncalled for, and there is immense potential in reconnecting the dots of history, culture, religion and geo-economic realities. This approach has already seen diplomatic relations come to full bloom along with a multitude of commerce initiatives.
The two-day talks have come as a prelude to a high-powered visit of Pakistan's Deputy PM and Foreign Minister to Dhaka. The agenda is to upgrade the ties to new heights by buoying bilateralism on regional and international fronts.
Some of the finer talking points include inking new trade agreements, exploring the potential in investment, promoting tourism and cultural exchanges as well as extending the bilateral outreach in terms of aviation and shipping.
Dhaka has been kind to already ease the visa process for Pakistani nationals, and direct shipping services between the two countries have also resumed. Moreover, few private airlines from Pakistan have shown interest in flying to Dhaka and Chittagong, apart from synergising the respective national careers and introducing private maritime connections.
The Second Liberation in Dhaka last year has transformed the perceptions of the Southeast Asian state. Now Dhaka's relations with Delhi, Islamabad, Beijing, Washington and Europe are evenly poised, and this is where there is an opportunity to cement regionalism on realistic terms.
Reviving the defunct SAARC should also be on the wish-list at the summit in Dhaka, apart from tapping the immense knowledge potential of Bangladesh universities for intellectual collaboration.
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