Pakistan, Bangladesh agree on visa-free travel for officials, India is concerned about ISI threat

India expressed concerns about border security a day after Pakistan and Bangladesh approved visa-free entries for officials and diplomats between the two countries.

The move comes as both countries are seeking to improve their bilateral relationship, which has been tense since the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. 

The decision was announced on Wednesday after a high-level meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Bangladeshi counterpart, Lieutenant General (retired) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, in Dhaka.

In a statement, Islamabad said, “A significant breakthrough was achieved on the facilitation of visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports, and both countries reached a principled agreement on this matter.” However, there has been no mention of a date as to when the visa-free entry for diplomats will be implemented.

India has expressed concern over the move as it can increase the movement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence ISI officers, which could threaten the national security along the eastern and north-eastern border. The concern is that ISI officials will be able to access Dhaka under the cover of official visits. 

A source who spoke to the Economic Times said that a bigger presence of Pakistani officials in Bangladesh would give more substance to anti-India Islamist groups, leading to greater security risks. 

The meeting between the officials from Pakistan and Bangladesh also involved talks of other key issues such as terrorism, police training, drug control and measures to combat human trafficking, according to state-run Radio Pakistan. 

The diplomatic resentment of the toe countries, especially following the installation of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is said to have brought more flexibility in the countries’ approach to Islamabad.                                                

A delegation from Bangladesh is also expected to visit Pakistan soon to study the country’s Safe City Project. 

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