The two leaders pledge to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, education, social protection and people-to-people contacts.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar meets Bangladesh Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Dr AZM Zahid Hossain. PHOTO: FO
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties with Bangladesh during a meeting with Bangladesh Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Dr AZM Zahid Hossain in Islamabad, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO).
Dr Hossain was visiting Pakistan to attend the 9th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ministerial Conference on Women, being held in Islamabad.
Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, Minister of Women, Children and Social Welfare of Bangladesh, visited Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 last evening.
Welcoming Dr. Hossain to Pakistan for the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women… pic.twitter.com/6Y8dLZKOe2
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 14, 2026
Welcoming the Bangladeshi minister, Dar appreciated Bangladesh’s participation in the conference and reaffirmed Pakistan’s “commitment to advancing cooperation on women’s empowerment within the OIC and beyond”, according to FO.
Recalling his visit to Dhaka last August, Dar also reaffirmed Pakistan’s “commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations” and underlined “its keenness to expand cooperation in various areas of mutual interest”.
The two leaders also exchanged views on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade, education, social protection and people-to-people contacts, FO said.
The Ninth Ministerial Conference on Women of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday adopted the Islamabad Declaration, reaffirming the commitment of member states to the social, economic and political empowerment of women and girls, while launching a new initiative to promote the digital inclusion of women across the Muslim world.
Read: OIC Conference adopts Islamabad Declaration
According to the Islamabad Declaration, available on the official OIC website, the ministers and heads of delegation committed to further strengthening policies and institutional mechanisms to ensure the effective and meaningful participation of women in political, economic and public life.
The declaration urges member states to remove barriers to women’s education and employment, expand access to quality education, technical and vocational training and leadership development opportunities, and promote women’s economic stability by improving access to jobs, financial resources, entrepreneurship support and social protection systems.
He also highlighted the need to promote inclusive financial systems, including Islamic finance, microfinance and digital financial services, while recommending better access to capital, innovation and business opportunities for women-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The statement describes women’s participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies as essential.
