ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, has spoken with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and discussed with him escalating regional tensions, the Pakistani foreign ministry said on Saturday, following Pakistan’s retaliation to Indian military strikes on three of its air bases.
Pakistan said India conducted drone strikes on its Nur Khan, Murid and Shorkot air bases early Saturday, adding that most of them were intercepted by the country’s air defense systems.
India said Pakistan had overnight launched several high-speed missiles targeting multiple air bases and civilian infrastructure in the northern Indian state of Punjab and Indian-administered Kashmir.
The situation has alarmed world powers and friendly countries that the hostilities, sparked by a massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir, may lead to a full-blown war, if not intervened.
“Dar today spoke with the Foreign Minister of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HH Faisal bin Farhan. The DPM/FM apprised him on the current situation in the region following last night’s Indian attacks and Pakistan’s subsequent response,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
“Both leaders agreed to maintain close contact.”
Tensions between the two neighbors escalated after India on Wednesday conducted missile strikes deep inside Pakistan, which officials said killed 31 civilians in multiple cities.
Drone and missile incursions and munition fire between the two sides have since killed around 20 more people, mostly on the Indian side, sparking diplomatic calls for restraint.
“Saudi FM expressed condolences over the loss of innocent lives and appreciated Pakistan’s measured and restrained response,” Islamabad’s foreign ministry said.
The statement came a day after Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir’s daylong visit to Pakistan, which followed his surprise stop in New Delhi for talks with Indian officials.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan share close diplomatic and strategic relations. The Kingdom has extended significant support to Pakistan during prolonged economic challenges faced by Islamabad in recent years, including external financing and assistance with International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programs.
Saudi Arabia has also contributed to global peacemaking efforts by hosting talks and mediating prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.
New Delhi has accused Pakistan of backing the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists. Islamabad denies it and has offered to participate in a credible, international probe.
Pakistan and India have fought multiple wars, including two of them over the disputed region of Kashmir, since their independence from British rule in 1947. Both rule the region in part but claim it in full.
New Delhi routinely accuses Pakistan of supporting armed separatist militants in Kashmir. Islamabad denies the allegations and says it supports the Kashmiri people diplomatically and politically.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia discuss regional tensions after Indian strikes, Islamabad’s response
https://arab.news/559bp
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia discuss regional tensions after Indian strikes, Islamabad’s response
- The ongoing conflict between Pakistan and India has alarmed world powers and friendly nations
- There have been fears that the hostilities may turn into a full-blown war, if not intervened timely
Bangladesh flag carrier to launch Dhaka–Karachi flights this month after over 13 years
- Inaugural flight scheduled to depart from Dhaka to Karachi on Jan, 29, says Biman Bangladesh Airlines spokesperson
- Airline will operate two weekly flights from the Bangladeshi capital to Pakistan’s commercial hub on Thursdays and Saturdays
ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh’s flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has announced it will launch direct passenger flights between the cities of Dhaka and Karachi after over 13 years later this month, the airline said on Thursday, as both nations improve historically bitter ties.
Biman will operate two weekly flights to Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city by population and its commercial hub, on Thursdays and Saturdays, the airline’s spokesperson Boshra Islam told Arab News.
“Biman is launching its Karachi operations on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026,” she said, adding that the inaugural flight is scheduled to depart from Dhaka at 8:00 p.m. local time and arrive in Karachi at 11:00 p.m. Pakistan time.
Pakistan has granted Biman initial permission to operate the route for three months until Mar. 26, according to a spokesperson for the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. The approval would be extended later, the official said.
The restoration of the airline’s flights to Pakistan marks a significant step in restoring direct air connectivity between the two South Asian nations.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were part of the same country until 1971, when the latter split from the former after a bloody civil war and became the independent state of Bangladesh.
Ties between both have improved significantly since 2024, after the fall of former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s government due to a student-led uprising. Hasina was widely viewed in Pakistan as being close to India and openly critical of Islamabad.
The resumption of passenger flights comes as aviation and trade links between the two countries begin to recover after decades of limited engagement.
In November last year, state-owned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said it had signed a cargo agreement with Biman Bangladesh Airlines aimed at streamlining air freight operations and boosting bilateral trade.
A PIA spokesperson said the airlines had entered into a Cargo Interline Special Agreement as part of PIA’s strategy to expand its cargo business and offer more competitive services to customers.
Pakistan has stepped up efforts to rebuild relations with Bangladesh as ties between Dhaka and New Delhi remain strained over India’s decision to grant asylum to Hasina after she fled the country.
In February last year, a cargo vessel sailed directly from Pakistan to Bangladesh for the first time in decades and successfully unloaded its containers, port officials said.
The two countries signed six agreements in August 2025 covering areas such as visa exemptions for diplomatic and official passport holders, trade cooperation, media collaboration and cultural exchanges, officials said.
