‘Pakistan should apologise for 1971 genocide’: Bangladesh puts forward 4 demands, Pakistan plays ‘Muslim card’

Bangladesh has said that strong relations between the two countries can be built only by resolving old issues.

New Delhi: Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar visited Bangladesh, where he said that the 1971 dispute with Bangladesh has been resolved. He said this after Bangladesh asked Pakistan to apologise for the 1971 genocide.

Bangladesh rejects Pakistan’s claim of apologising twice

Bangladesh has rejected Pakistan’s claim, as its Foreign Affairs Advisor Tauheed Hussain clearly said that strong relations between the two countries can be built only by resolving old issues.

1971 genocide

During the 1971 war, the Pakistani army was accused of raping women and killing thousands of Bangladeshi civilians. Regarding this, Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan has apologised to Bangladesh twice.

Dar also invoked Islam to improve relations with Bangladesh. In response to a question from journalists, he said, “Islam also tells us to purify our hearts”.

Pakistani minister says these issues were resolved in 1974 and 2000

Ishaq Dar was on a two-day visit to Bangladesh on 23 and 24 August. He met Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor, Mohammad Yunus and Foreign Advisor in Dhaka. After this, while addressing the media, the Pakistani minister said that these issues were resolved in the year 1974 and then in 2000 during the visit of Pervez Musharraf.

Dar said that there are historical documents from that time (1974) which are available to both countries. Dar said that now both countries should start afresh and work together like a family.

However, the Bangladeshi Foreign Advisor clearly denied this and said that he does not consider the claim of the Pakistani minister to be correct. He said that if this had happened, then the dispute between the two countries would have been resolved.

Bangladesh’s 4 demands from Pakistan

Bangladesh issued a statement and reiterated its old demands of Pakistan. It said that Pakistan should resolve old and historical issues like an apology for the 1971 massacre, proper division of property at the time of partition, transfer of foreign aid given for the victims of the 1970 cyclone and return of Pakistani citizens stranded in Bangladesh.

According to the BBC report, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto visited Dhaka in 1974 and expressed regret to the people of Bangladesh there, but Pakistan never made a formal apology. In 2002, Musharraf also expressed regret during his visit, but he, too, never made a formal apology.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar visited Bangladesh, where he said that the 1971 dispute with Bangladesh had been resolved.
• Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Tauheed Hussain said that strong relations between the two countries can be built only by resolving old issues.
• During the 1971 war, the Pakistani army was accused of raping women and killing thousands of Bangladeshi civilians.
• Dar invoked Islam to improve relations with Bangladesh. In response to a question from journalists, he said, “Islam also tells us to purify our hearts”.

Ishaq Dar met Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor, Mohammad Yunus and Foreign Advisor in Dhaka. After this, while addressing the media, the Pakistani minister said that these issues were resolved in the year 1974 and then in 2000 during the visit of Pervez Musharraf.