Pakistan has postponed a high-level diplomatic visit to Bangladesh by its deputy prime minister and foreign minister, originally scheduled for April 27-28, citing “unforeseen circumstances,” according to officials familiar with the matter.

The cancellation comes at a delicate moment for regional diplomacy, following a rare round of bilateral talks between the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and Bangladesh aimed at thawing relations that have remained fraught since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.

The visit was widely seen as an opportunity to reset ties and expand cooperation in trade and regional connectivity.

However, the abrupt postponement coincides with rising regional tensions after a deadly attack last week in Pahelgam, in India-administered Kashmir. Indian authorities have blamed the assault, which left at least nine paramilitary personnel dead, on militants allegedly operating from Pakistani territory — an accusation Islamabad has denied.

The incident has added strain to already tense India-Pakistan relations, and its timing has not gone unnoticed in Dhaka, where the government maintains close diplomatic and security ties with New Delhi.

Analysts suggest that Islamabad’s decision to delay the visit may reflect concerns over how the Pahelgam attack could overshadow or complicate diplomatic optics during the Bangladesh trip.

“The new dates for the visit will be finalized through mutual consultations,” a spokesperson from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday, offering no further details.

While officials on both sides have not directly linked the attack to the postponement, regional analysts say the move underscores the precarious balance South Asian states must navigate amid deep-rooted rivalries and frequent flare-ups along the India-Pakistan border.

“The visit was symbolically important, especially in signaling Islamabad’s interest in re-engaging Dhaka on friendlier terms,” said a South Asia policy expert in New Delhi. “But in the wake of the Pahelgam incident, it may have become politically sensitive — both in Bangladesh and beyond.”

For Bangladesh, whose relationship with India is underpinned by historical ties and economic cooperation, any intensification of India-Pakistan tensions carries potential diplomatic reverberations.

The country has, in recent years, walked a careful line in its dealings with Pakistan, balancing outreach with its strategic calculus vis-à-vis New Delhi.

The postponed visit now leaves in question how quickly Pakistan and Bangladesh can build on the modest progress made during the recent foreign secretary-level talks — and whether regional security developments will allow diplomacy to resume its course.

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