Bangladeshi diplomat in Islamabad receives threatening letter

Islamabad: A senior Bangladeshi diplomat has filed a complaint with the Kohsar Police Station after receiving a threatening letter and reporting harassment by unidentified individuals, ARY News reported.

According to reports, the First Information Report (FIR) was registered under Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code. As per the complaint, the Bangladeshi diplomat alleged that unknown persons have been following him, monitoring his movements, and even taking his photographs without consent.

A few days ago, a threatening letter was delivered to the Bangladeshi Embassy, causing fear and concern among the diplomatic staff.

The police have initiated an investigation to identify and apprehend the individuals involved in harassing and threatening the Bangladeshi diplomat.

Since the ouster of pro-Indian Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina Wajid, the interim government of Bangladesh led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is actively seeking to strengthen ties with Pakistan.

In this regard, the interim government of Bangladesh eased visa policy restrictions for Pakistani citizens on December 5.

The Bangladesh government removed the requirement to obtain security clearance for Pakistani citizens, paving the way for easier travel between the two countries.

The Security Services Division (SSD) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh issued orders to facilitate the visa process for Pakistan nationals.

In a related development, the foreign ministry also instructed all missions abroad to simplify the visa application process for Pakistani citizens.

This move is seen as a breakthrough in bilateral relations following a visit by Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Syed Ahmed Maroof to former prime minister of Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia, conveying greetings of President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to her.

The easing of visa restrictions is a significant shift from the Hasina Wajid-led previous government’s policy, which had made it mandatory for Pakistani citizens to obtain security clearance for visas.

The development is also seen as a boost to bilateral trade, following the arrival of a Pakistani cargo ship last month at a Bangladeshi port for the first time since 1971, marking the start of sea trade between the two countries.