Pakistan stands in solidarity with people of Bangladesh: FO

ISLAMABAD: In its first official reaction to the recent changes in Bangladesh which has seen a month of turmoil leading to more than 300 deaths, Pakistan has sent a strong message of support for the people of Bangladesh.

“The Government and people of Pakistan stand in solidarity with the people of Bangladesh, sincerely hoping for a peaceful and swift return to normalcy,” said the Foreign Office.

Ever since the protests continued in Bangladesh, ending in the resignation of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her flight from Dhaka, Pakistan had maintained a studied silence treating the situation as a domestic issue of Bangladesh.

The message of goodwill for the people of Bangladesh comes as reports speak of an interim government being sworn in on Thursday headed by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus and a small cabinet. Yunus was the name nominated by the student organisations that spearheaded the protests against Sheikh Hasina.

In its message, the Foreign Office added, “We are confident that the resilient spirit and unity of the Bangladeshi people will lead them towards a harmonious future.”