Latest news with #SyedAhmedMaroof
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Pakistan diplomat's sudden exit: Islamabad recalls Dhaka envoy; Imran Haidar named successor
Syed Ahmed Maroof Pakistan has withdrawn its high commissioner in Dhaka, Syed Ahmed Maroof, and appointed a new envoy to succeed him, weeks after his abrupt leave triggered widespread speculation, reported news agency PTI on Tuesday, citing Bangladesh's Prothom Alo newspaper. Citing several senior officials, the report said, "Pakistan's high commissioner in Dhaka Syed Ahmed Maroof is not returning to Bangladesh." Islamabad has now selected Imran Haidar, currently serving as Pakistan's ambassador to Myanmar, to take over Maroof's position, the paper added. Maroof had come under the spotlight shortly after Muhammad Yunus assumed charge of Bangladesh's interim government. His rise came just three days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 's Awami League was ousted on August 5, 2024, following a wave of student-led violent protests. During his tenure, Maroof actively worked to strengthen diplomatic ties between Dhaka and Islamabad, including facilitating a visit by Pakistan's foreign secretary to Bangladesh. However, his sudden departure from Dhaka last month ignited social media chatter, with rumours swirling about his alleged involvement with two Bangladeshi women. Maroof left the country on May 11, approximately 18 months after his appointment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Аkinеk fáj a térdе és a csíрőízülеte, ne fеlеdje! Magyarország vezető reumatológusa Olvass tovább Undo Pakistan's high commission officially notified Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry of his exit, stating that the deputy high commissioner would temporarily assume the role of acting high commissioner. In the past nine months, Maroof travelled extensively throughout Bangladesh, with his latest known visit to the coastal town of Cox's Bazar. Social media buzzed over the timing of this trip, which reportedly overlapped with the visit of the two Bangladeshi women to the same destination.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Pakistan withdraws envoy from Dhaka amid speculations
Pakistan has withdrawn its high commissioner in Dhaka and named a new envoy to replace him, weeks after he went on sudden leave sparking widespread speculations, Prothom Alo newspaper reported on Tuesday. "Pakistan's high commissioner in Dhaka Syed Ahmed Maroof is not returning to Bangladesh," the newspaper reported, referring to several unnamed senior officials. Islamabad has named its current ambassador to Myanmar, Imran Haidar , as Maroof's replacement, it added. Maroof had grabbed media focus soon after Muhammad Yunus took charge of the interim government, three days after prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government was ousted on August 5, 2025 after a student-led violent agitation. Maroof had worked to ensure increased Dhaka-Islamabad diplomacy, including in arranging A visit by the Pakistan foreign secretary to Dhaka. Live Events But he left Dhaka on a sudden leave last month sparking speculations in social media about his alleged relations with two Bangladeshi women. He left Dhaka on May 11, nearly one and half years after his appointment. The Pakistan High Commission formally informed Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry of his departure saying their deputy high commissioner would serve as acting high commissioner. Maroof extensively traveled across Bangladesh over the past nine months, with his most recent trip to the southeastern beach resort town of Cox's Bazar, which allegedly coincided with the tour of the two Bangladeshi ladies to the same place. PTI
Economic Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
Pakistan's envoy to Bangladesh takes sudden leave, triggers diplomatic buzz
Pakistan's high commissioner to Bangladesh, Syed Ahmed Maroof, has unexpectedly gone on leave, triggering a wave of speculation in diplomatic circles and on social media. Maroof left Dhaka on 11 May, flying to Islamabad via Dubai. On the same day, the Pakistan High Commission informed Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs about his departure. A spokesperson from the commission said he is back in Pakistan for 'consultations,' but did not share more details. The embassy also confirmed that Deputy High Commissioner Muhammad Asif will serve as the acting envoy in his absence. However, no end date for Maroof's leave has been mentioned in the official note sent to the Bangladeshi the change in government in Dhaka, Maroof had been a visibly active diplomat. He played a key role in arranging high-level visits, including that of Pakistan's foreign secretary, and had travelled widely across Bangladesh. His last known visit was to Cox's Bazar on 9 took charge as Pakistan's envoy in December 2023. His sudden leave has led to several theories, with some suggesting it could be linked to changes in Pakistan's diplomatic approach or recent regional events. For now, no clear reason has been given, leaving observers to watch the situation closely. Inputs from TOI
The Print
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
How Pakistan envoy's exit from Bangladesh amid ‘honeytrap scandal' risks the 2 nations' improving ties
The report said the Pakistan High Commission has confirmed that Deputy High Commissioner Muhammad Asif will serve as the acting high commissioner, but did not specify the duration of Maroof's leave in their official communication. Maroof's sudden departure followed purpoted photos and videos featuring him and a woman, said to be a senior Bangladesh Bank official, going viral on social media, sparking allegations of a possible honeytrap scandal. 'On the same day, the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka formally informed Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs of his departure,' Bangladeshi news portal Prothom Alo quoted a senior foreign ministry official as saying. Dhaka: Even as Operation Sindoor was underway, a full-blown diplomatic scandal broke out between Pakistan and Bangladesh over an alleged honeytrap scandal involving a top diplomat. Syed Ahmed Maroof, Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh since December 2023, left Dhaka for Islamabad via Dubai on 11 May in an Emirates flight. The report, however, added that the Pakistan High Commission 'unofficially' indicated that Maroof is expected to be on leave for 2 weeks. Speaking to ThePrint, Bangladeshi journalist Sahidul Hasan Khokon said that this comes as a big blow to the improving relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan as Syed Ahmed Maroof has played an important role in bringing the two countries together after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on 5 August, 2024, following a mass uprising. Also read: Jogendranath Mandal could've been Bengal's Ambedkar. Backing Jinnah made him history's footnote Anatomy of a scandal According to Khokon, the woman in question whose pictures and videos posing with Syed Ahmed Maroof are all over social media has an apartment in Dhaka where the High Commissioner and his friend Azhar Mahmud were allegedly frequent visitors. He added that public attention was drawn largely because the woman herself had shared several of these photos with Maroof on her social media accounts. 'The pictures have now been deleted from her feed but they have been picked up by other users and gone viral ever since the scandal broke,' Khokon said. In its report, Bangladeshi news outlet Kalbela identified the woman as a high-level Bangladesh Bank official. When Kalbela reached her for a reaction, she admitted that she has known Maroof for a long time and been to many public events with him. She added that she has not levelled any charges against him and that she is in close touch with high commissioners of other embassies as well. Addressing rumours of their recent visit to Cox's Bazar, she told Kalbela she had gone to the tourist spot to vacation with members of her family, while Maroof was there with his family. It was a chance meeting between them at Cox's Bazar. In a Facebook post that has now gone viral, Bangladeshi influencer and political commentator Aminul Hoque Polash has said Maroof was no ordinary high commissioner but an important asset for Pakistan in the changing geo-politics of the region. 'In the last nine months, Maroof has crisscrossed the entire country, conducted hundreds of meetings, given press interviews and firmly established himself as an important player in Bangladesh's current affairs. Officials and the Pakistan embassy were aware of their closeness as she was a regular visitor at the embassy building,' Polash wrote. A highly-placed source in the intelligence agencies had told ThePrint that before Operation Sindoor, Bangladesh had undertaken a series of rather unusual strategic measures. A high-level delegation comprising senior members of the Pakistan Army and intelligence services had visited Bangladesh on 23 January, 2025, under strict confidentiality. The delegation toured several air bases and military facilities and held meetings with high-ranking officials of the Bangladesh government. The Bangladeshi delegation reportedly expressed significant interest in acquiring Pakistan's advanced military equipment, particularly the JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. Earlier, on 21 December, 2024, the source said, a Pakistani ship had docked at the Chittagong Port, carrying around 678 sealed containers. While a few of them contained sugar, soda, three-piece suits, and potatoes to avoid scrutiny, around 580 containers were secretly transported to the Chittagong Cantonment. The operation was overseen by Major General Mir Mushfiqur Rahman of the General Officer Commanding, 24 Infantry Division and Area Commander, Chittagong Area, Chittagong Cantonment. In view of this, Khokon said to ThePrint that Bangladesh should not let this slide and investigate Maroof. (Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri) Also read: BJP isn't getting Bengal. Mamata keeps beating Modi-Shah in her Ludo game
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pakistan envoy honeytrapped in Bangladesh? Sudden exit after viral videos sparks row
Pakistan's high commissioner to Bangladesh, Syed Ahmed Maroof , has abruptly gone on leave after videos of his alleged honeytrap surfaced online, according to Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo. Maroof left Dhaka on the morning of 11 May, travelling to Islamabad via Dubai. That same day, the Pakistan high commission in Dhaka formally notified Bangladesh's ministry of foreign affairs of his departure, a senior ministry official told Prothom Alo on Tuesday. Diplomatic sources in Dhaka suggest that Maroof's recall may be linked to controversy surrounding a personal visit to Cox's Bazar during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, and his alleged association with a female Bangladeshi government official, Daily Sun reported. Under diplomatic protocol, when an ambassador takes leave, the host country's foreign ministry is informed of the duration and who will assume responsibilities in the interim. While the Pakistan high commission confirmed that deputy high commissioner Muhammad Asif will serve as acting high commissioner, no timeframe for Maroof's leave was provided in official communication, Prothom Alo noted. Maroof had played a high-profile role in Dhaka and Islamabad ties, particularly following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government on 5 August 2024, in the wake of a student-led uprising. Rumours of the scandal escalated after photos and alleged intimate videos surfaced online, showing Maroof with a Bangladeshi woman. This also led to speculation that the envoy had been honey-trapped.
