18 September 2021
PAKISTAN SHOULD NOT APOLOGISE TO
BANGLADESH ON 1971
(Islamabad considers the issue settled and fully resolved, with the conclusion of the Bangladesh-India-Pakistan Agreement of 9 April 1974)
Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi
(Former High Commissioner
to Bangladesh)
Pakistan considers Bangladesh, a Muslim brother. This is not a cliché, but a fact. The people of the two countries struggled together for independence from the colonial rule. Both share a common history. Islam is too important to the common man in Bangladesh and to the common man in Pakistan, which resulted in the establishment of Muslim Pakistan in 1947. The All India Muslim League, whose efforts resulted in the creation of Pakistan, was established in Dhaka (1906). Prominent Bengali leader Abdul Hamid Bhashani was so devoted to the cause of Pakistan, that he, in a pamphlet, ‘Achieve Pakistan or Perish,’ at the time of the Partition, underscored (
Book ‘Abdul Matin Chaudhury-Trusted Lieutenant of Mohammad Ali Jinnah,’ by Atful Hye Shibly, page 132, published by Juned A. Choudhury, Dhaka - 2011) :
2.
Pakistan is our only demand, History justifies it, Numbers confirm it, Justice claims it, Destiny demands it, Posterity awaits it, Plebiscite verdicts it,
“Let do or die” be the motto of our life, Let us be prepared for any suffering or sacrifice, Let us be prepared to give up our lives if necessary, to “reach
the goal of Pakistan.” Since its establishment in 1947, Pakistan has had major successes and major failures. 1971 was a major failure. Pakistan has always desired the best of relations with Bangladesh. Pakistan does not have any issues with Bangladesh. Dhaka has outstanding issues with Pakistan, when
Awami League is in power. The Awami League government insists that without the resolution of these, there cannot be any forward movement in the
relations with Pakistan. Foremost is the demand that Pakistan make a formal and an unconditional Apology for what Awami League alleges, is the “genocide of 3 million” Bengalis and rapes of “200,000” Bengali women by the Pakistan Army in East Pakistan in 1971.
would be successfully resisted by the Muslims of Bengal, Muslims of Pakistan and the entire Muslim world. Pakistan wishes Bangladesh well. May the Muslims of Bengal, remain happy forever.
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PAKISTAN SHOULD NOT APOLOGISE TO BANGLADESH ON 1971
(As officer of the Foreign Service of Pakistan, Ambassador
Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi worked in the Pakistani Missions
in Washington DC, New Delhi, Vienna and Beijing. He
served as Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh
(2011-2014) and later as High Commissioner to New
Zealand (2016 - 2018). He retired from government service
in 2018. Afrasiab has authored books on issues relevant to
Pakistan’s foreign relations, history and {the spiritual
aspects of} theology.)