Pakistan eyes defence pact with Bangladesh, sale of JF-17 fighter jets

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) JF-17 Thunder fighter jet performs during the Pakistan Day military parade in Islamabad. (File photo/Reuters)

As Islamabad widens its arms supply ambitions, the air force chiefs of Pakistan and Bangladesh held talks on a potential pact covering the sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets to Dhaka, Pakistan's military said, Reuters reported.

However, Bangladesh has not yet confirmed whether such a plan exists.

The JF-17 Thunder is a single-engine lightweight combat jet developed jointly by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC).

Referring to Pakistani military's press wing, Daily Star said on Wednesday that the talks took place in Islamabad. Pakistan's Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and his Bangladesh counterpart Hasan Mahmood Khan had extensive talks on the procurement of the JF-17 Thunder, the military's press wing said.

According to Daily Star, the statement, which was shared on Tuesday, further mentioned that Islamabad assured Dhaka of fast-track delivery of "Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, along with a complete training and long-term support ecosystem", ANI reported.

The meeting comes shortly after the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh, Imran Haider paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House in Dhaka on December 28.

During the meeting, the Pakistan High Commissioner said that Dhaka-Karachi direct flights are expected to start in January, the Chief Adviser's Press Wing.