Is Pakistan doing enough to stop persecution of its 1971 loyalists by Hasina?

ISLAMABAD: As the state policy under Hasina Wajid government in Bangladesh of silencing pro-Pakistan voices of 1971 is about to take one more precious life- 75 years old Jamat-e-Islami Chief Motiur Rehman Nizami-, question is being raised here if Pakistan is doing enough to stop these executions of once the loyalists of united Pakistan.

Continuing with its bogus trial of people accused of having committed atrocities during the period of the 1971 war, the Bangladesh Supreme Court on Thursday upheld death sentence for the JI leader Nizami, amid fears that he could be sent to gallows any time.

Despite serious apprehensions raised by certain international rights organisations about the fairness of these trials, Bangladesh under pro-India Hasina Wajid is on fast track of executing all those who had opposed Bangladesh’s liberation during 1971 war.

Already a few top opposition leaders have already been hanged on phony war crimes charges including murders. Pakistan does believe that Hasina government policy of executing opposition leaders for opposing the 1971 dismemberment of Pakistan is not only a gross violation of 1974 Tripartite Agreement- signed between Islamabad, New Delhi and Dhaka-, is also in conflict with Hasina’s father Shaikh Mujeebur Rehman’s commitment to forget and forgive the wrongs of the past. 

However, Islamabad has not yet launched any pro-active policy at the international level to bring halt to such executions in Bangladesh.

The 1974 tripartite agreement contains the then Bangladeshi Prime Minister Shaikh Mujeebur Rehman’s statement that says: “The Prime Minister of Bangladesh had declared with regard to the atrocities and destruction committed in Bangladesh in 1971 that he wanted the people to forget the past and to make a fresh start, stating that the people of Bangladesh knew how to forgive.”

Signed by the foreign ministers of the three countries, the tripartite agreement’s main purpose was to provide a firm basis for the resolution of the humanitarian problems arising out of the conflict of 1971.

However, during the recent years Hasina Wajid government has started violating the agreement by adopting the policy of trial and execution of those opposition leaders who were loyal to Pakistan and had opposed the dismemberment of the country in 1971.

The government of Pakistan has though voiced its concerns over these serious human right violations in Bangladesh, it has avoided adopting a pro-active policy. Sources in the Foreign Office insist that the tripartite agreement provides enough ground to confront Hasina government’s policy.

The para 14, 15 and 16 of the Tripartite Agreement are relevant to highlight the recent violations by Dhaka. These paras of the agreement read as: 

“14: In this connection the three Ministers noted that the  matter should be viewed in the context of the determination of the three countries to continue resolutely to work for reconciliation. The Ministers further noted that following recognition, the Prime Minister of Pakistan had declared that he would visit Bangladesh in response to the invitation of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and appealed to the people of Bangladesh to forgive and forget the mistakes of the past in order to promote reconciliation. Similarly, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh had declared with regard to the atrocities and destruction committed in Bangladesh in 1971 that he wanted the people to forget the past and to make a fresh start, stating that the people of Bangladesh knew how to forgive.

“15. In the light of the foregoing and, in particular, having regard to the appeal of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to the people of Bangladesh to forgive and forget the mistakes of the past, the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh stated that the Government of Bangladesh had decided not to proceed with the trials as an act of clemency. It was agreed that the 195 prisoners of war may be repatriated to Pakistan along with the other prisoners of war now in the process of repatriation under the Delhi Agreement.

“16. The Ministers expressed their conviction that the above agreements provide a firm basis for the resolution of the humanitarian problems arising out of the conflict of 1971. They reaffirmed the vital stake the 700 million people of the three countries have in peace and progress and reiterated the resolve of their Governments to work for the promotion of normalisation of relations and the establishment of durable peace in the sub-continent.”