ISLAMABAD: Finally, nearly a week after making an announcement, the director general (SA & Saarc) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the acting High Commissioner of Bangladesh and regretted that Pakistan was being charged with committing war crimes when the former East Pakistan fought for independence, and expressed concerns that Pakistan’s sentiments of goodwill were also being ignored. The issue pertains to several Bangladeshi politicians who have been hanged in Bangladesh recently, after the courts charged them with war crimes in 1971.Pakistan had criticised these hangings and reminded Dhaka that it was violating an international agreement signed in 1974. Known as the 1974 Tripartite Agreement, Pakistan says that this is the bedrock of relations between the two countries, which meant that bygones should be bygones and that no one would be tried in the court. However, there were strong statements by politicians in Dhaka after Pakistan’s reaction even charging Islamabad of “a misleading interpretation of the 1974 Agreement”, and Pakistan’s high commissioner was also summoned to the Foreign Office in Dhaka. The spokesman at the Foreign Office in a statement said the Bangladeshi acting High Commissioner was clearly told that the 1974 agreement bound Bangladesh “not to proceed with the trials as an act of clemency”. He was also informed that the Government of Pakistan rejected the baseless and unfounded assertions of the Bangladesh government conveyed vide its Note of November 23, 2015. Pakistan also rejected insinuation of “complicity in committing crimes or war atrocities”. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” said the statement.The DG also “regretted” attempts by the Government of Bangladesh to malign Pakistan. “This despite our ardent desire to develop brotherly relations with Bangladesh. Pakistan believes that the peoples of both countries not only want to maintain but also further strengthen the bonds of friendship and brotherhood. However, sadly, the Government of Bangladesh does not seem to respect these sentiments,” added the statement. Despite rhetoric from both capitals, the acting HC was told about Pakistan’s desire to further enhancing relations with Bangladesh, because it believes that the hearts of the people of Pakistan beat in unison with the people of Bangladesh. “It is important for the two countries not to forget the role played by their people in the struggle for the establishment of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the South Asian sub-continent. It is, therefore, imperative to move forward in the spirit of goodwill, friendship and harmony for the collective good of the peoples of Pakistan and Bangladesh,” Dhaka was reminded.
