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Dhaka, March 12 (bdnews24.com)Pakistan high commissioner Ashraf Qureshi Friday said Pakistan prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani will meet with Sheikh Hasina at the sidelines of the SAARC summit in Thimpu next month.
He also said the Bangladesh prime minister's visit to Pakistan may not take place before the 16th SAARC summit scheduled April 28-29.
"We have already invited the honourable prime minister of Bangladesh to visit Pakistan. The date will be fixed through diplomatic channels," Qureshi told bdnews24.com Friday at Hotel Sheraton after a meeting on UN peacekeeping.
He said prime minister Gilani had also shown interest in visiting Bangladesh.
"Our honourable prime minister will meet the honourable prime minister of Bangladesh at the sideline of the SAARC summit," he said.
The high commissioner said Sheikh Hasina may not visit Pakistan before SAARC summit due to her busy schedule.
The newly appointed high commissioner presented his credentials to president Zillur Rahman on Feb 4 and saw Dipu Moni on Feb 25. He then extended an invitation to Sheikh Hasina to tour Pakistan at her convenience.
Diplomatic observers say that Hasina's upcoming visit is important for Bangladesh-Pakistan bilateral relations, especially at a time when the Awami League government is going to try the war criminals.
Islamabad says the trial of war criminals was settled in a tripartite agreement involving Bangladesh, India and Pakistan on April 9, 1974.
The agreement was signed by the then Bangladesh foreign minister Kamal Hossain, Indian external affairs minister Saran Singh and Pakistan's state minister for defence and foreign affairs Aziz Ahmed.
"The Pakistan government condemned and deeply regretted the crimes that may have been committed", the agreement said.
It identified 190 Pakistanis, mainly army officers, who were responsible for the crimes in the nine-month war in 1971. But the army officers were never tried.
According to the agreement, the Pakistan prime minister must visit Bangladesh and appeal to Bangladeshis to "forgive the mistakes of the past that may have been committed".
It also said Bangladesh prime minister, following the Pakistan prime minister's apology, should urge Bangladeshis to forget the past.
But no Pakistani prime minister has thus far formally apologised on Bangladeshi soil for those crimes.
bdnewes24.com/krc/am/ta/2037h.
PM likely to visit Pakistan after Saarc | Bangladesh | bdnews24.com
He also said the Bangladesh prime minister's visit to Pakistan may not take place before the 16th SAARC summit scheduled April 28-29.
"We have already invited the honourable prime minister of Bangladesh to visit Pakistan. The date will be fixed through diplomatic channels," Qureshi told bdnews24.com Friday at Hotel Sheraton after a meeting on UN peacekeeping.
He said prime minister Gilani had also shown interest in visiting Bangladesh.
"Our honourable prime minister will meet the honourable prime minister of Bangladesh at the sideline of the SAARC summit," he said.
The high commissioner said Sheikh Hasina may not visit Pakistan before SAARC summit due to her busy schedule.
The newly appointed high commissioner presented his credentials to president Zillur Rahman on Feb 4 and saw Dipu Moni on Feb 25. He then extended an invitation to Sheikh Hasina to tour Pakistan at her convenience.
Diplomatic observers say that Hasina's upcoming visit is important for Bangladesh-Pakistan bilateral relations, especially at a time when the Awami League government is going to try the war criminals.
Islamabad says the trial of war criminals was settled in a tripartite agreement involving Bangladesh, India and Pakistan on April 9, 1974.
The agreement was signed by the then Bangladesh foreign minister Kamal Hossain, Indian external affairs minister Saran Singh and Pakistan's state minister for defence and foreign affairs Aziz Ahmed.
"The Pakistan government condemned and deeply regretted the crimes that may have been committed", the agreement said.
It identified 190 Pakistanis, mainly army officers, who were responsible for the crimes in the nine-month war in 1971. But the army officers were never tried.
According to the agreement, the Pakistan prime minister must visit Bangladesh and appeal to Bangladeshis to "forgive the mistakes of the past that may have been committed".
It also said Bangladesh prime minister, following the Pakistan prime minister's apology, should urge Bangladeshis to forget the past.
But no Pakistani prime minister has thus far formally apologised on Bangladeshi soil for those crimes.
bdnewes24.com/krc/am/ta/2037h.
PM likely to visit Pakistan after Saarc | Bangladesh | bdnews24.com