Pakistan-Bangladesh relations strained following Deputy PM Ishaq Dar's visit. On the 1971 war apology dispute, Bangladesh clarified that old issues cannot be resolved in a single meeting.
PAK-Bangladesh: The sudden souring of relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh has surprised everyone. Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Bangladesh after 13 years. This visit was expected to bring a new warmth to relations between the two countries. However, Ishaq Dar's statement regarding the 1971 war changed the atmosphere.
Ishaq Dar's claim and Bangladesh's displeasure
After arriving in Dhaka, Ishaq Dar claimed that the issue of the 1971 war and seeking forgiveness had already been resolved twice. He said that the first agreement took place in 1974, and later General Pervez Musharraf also discussed it. Therefore, the matter of Pakistan apologizing is now closed.
However, Bangladesh did not like this claim at all. Tawhid Hussain, Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, clearly stated that issues unresolved for 54 years cannot be resolved in a day. He said that Pakistan's apology for the genocide and the resolution of other pending issues are still awaited.
Why Bangladesh is upset
During the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, the Pakistani army was accused of mass killings, arson, and atrocities against women. Bangladesh wants Pakistan to officially apologize for these incidents.
But Ishaq Dar's statement made it clear that Pakistan considers this issue to have already been settled. Bangladesh objected to this and said that relations cannot be normalized until all disputed issues are clearly resolved.
Diplomacy shifted gears in Dhaka
Efforts were being made to improve relations between the two countries before Ishaq Dar's visit. Pakistan wanted to strengthen relations with Bangladesh and put diplomatic pressure on India.
But as soon as Ishaq Dar reached Dhaka, the atmosphere changed. Bangladesh clarified that relations will not improve just by talking about friendship. It is necessary to solve the real issues.
This visit happened after 13 years
This visit by the Pakistani Foreign Minister took place after 13 years. Hina Rabbani Khar visited Bangladesh in 2012. Since then, there have been no high-level visits between the two countries. Ishaq Dar's visit was initially scheduled for April this year, but it was postponed due to India-Pakistan tensions. Even after this, Pakistan and Bangladesh had given positive messages regarding relations.
Strong reaction from Bangladesh
Bangladesh's Foreign Advisor Tawhid Hussain said that Pakistan still has to take steps on many issues. In particular, issues such as apology for the events of 1971, settlement of financial matters, and repatriation of stranded people are still pending. He said that no one should expect that such old and serious issues will be resolved in one meeting. These issues will continue to be part of the discussion.
It was not an official bilateral meeting
Interestingly, this was not a formal bilateral meeting. It was a casual meeting, but the rhetoric made it a big political issue. Tawhid Hussain said that if Pakistan believes that the issues have already been resolved, then it is its misunderstanding. If that were the case, the dispute would have ended by now.
