ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday extended his felicitations to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its leader, Tarique Rahman, on securing a landslide majority in the national elections and receiving the mandate to form the next government.
The president, in a statement, congratulated the people of Bangladesh on the successful conduct of the polls across 299 seats with the participation of over 127 million registered voters.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s support for the sovereignty and democratic aspirations of Bangladesh, the president said that Pakistan looked forward to working with the new government to strengthen cooperation in trade, defence, cultural exchanges and regional forums.
President Zardari said that the elections in Bangladesh marked an opportunity for South Asia to move beyond past phases in which regional cooperation, including within SAARC was held hostage by India which continued to paralyse the great forum that was born in Bangladesh in 1985.
He expressed the hope that the new political environment in Dhaka would contribute to more balanced, independent and mutually respectful engagement across the region.
President Zardari also conveyed his best wishes for the continued stability, progress and prosperity of Bangladesh.