DHAKA, May 21, 2019 (BSS) – Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today
rejected media reports that Bangladesh halted visas for Pakistanis but
acknowledged delays in issuing visas which he attributed to Islamabad
authorities.
“The report should have appeared in the media in the reverse way,” he told
a press conference at the ministry attributing the crisis to Islamabad’s
inaction in issuing visas to Bangladeshi diplomats to be posted there. He
added: “We have not stopped issuing visas to Pakistanis, but delays could
happen in some cases which are common worldwide”.
Momen said Bangladesh high commission in Islamabad was exposed to manpower
shortage affecting the processing of visas as the Pakistan authorities was
delaying in issuing visa for Bangladesh’s newly appointed visa councilor in
Islamabad.
Moreover, he said, Islamabad was not renewing the visa of the officer who
was temporarily entrusted with the task of issuing visas.
“It is them (Islamabad) who exposed us to trouble . . . how could we issue
visa unless we have our manpower to do that there,” Momen said.
The minister, however, said Dhaka was unwilling to develop any hitch with
Pakistan and “we earlier contacted and still communicating with them to
resolve our pending visa issues of our diplomats”.
Asked if there was any development over the acceptance of the credentials
of Pakistan’s proposed envoy in Dhaka, Momen said Bangladesh earlier did not
accept the Islamabad proposal for some reasons.
“This is a quite normal phenomenon (in diplomatic arena), if they propose
someone new, we will definitely consider it,” he said.
Pakistan high commission does not have any envoy in Dhaka over a year.