Bangladesh, Pakistan Discuss JF-17 Fighter Jet Deal
Islamabad assured Dhaka of fast-track delivery of “Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, along with a complete training and long-term support ecosystem.”
Dhaka: The air force chiefs of Bangladesh and Pakistan have held talks on a potential pact covering the sale of JF-17 fighter aircraft to Dhaka, the Daily Star reported, citing Pakistan’s military.
Referring to Pakistan military’s press wing, the report said on Wednesday that the talks took place in Islamabad. Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and his Bangladesh counterpart Hasan Mahmood Khan held extensive discussions on the procurement of the JF-17 Thunder, a multi-role combat aircraft jointly developed with China.
According to the Daily Star, a statement shared on Tuesday also said that Islamabad assured Dhaka of fast-track delivery of “Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, along with a complete training and long-term support ecosystem.”
The meeting comes shortly after Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House in Dhaka on December 28.
During the meeting, the Pakistan High Commissioner said that direct flights between Dhaka and Karachi are expected to begin in January, according to the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing. Both sides also discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment and aviation, as well as scaling up cultural, educational and medical exchanges to strengthen bilateral relations.
Earlier in October, Chairman of Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, also paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.
“During the meeting, they discussed a wide range of issues concerning Bangladesh-Pakistan relations, including the growing importance of bilateral trade, investment and defence cooperation,” the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing said in a statement.
Emphasising shared historical, cultural and people-to-people ties, General Mirza expressed Pakistan’s desire to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors, noting significant potential for expanding trade, connectivity and investment between the two countries.
