Strengthening ties

The Pakistan-Bangladesh relationship, which was strained following the execution of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leaders who sided with Pakistan in the 1971 war of independence, is gradually showing an upward trend these days. The telephonic contact between the prime ministers of the two countries in July this year broke the ice. The recent meeting between the Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid and Pakistani High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Ahmed Siddiqui was hopefully a sign of thaw in the otherwise frosty relations between the two countries. The Bangladeshi premier assured the Pakistani envoy that Bangladesh would take steps to strengthen the fraternal ties and enhance and boost bilateral cooperation with Pakistan in diverse fields. The relations between the two countries may not be restored completely, and the trust deficit between them will continue to exist. The incumbent Hasina-led government still demands that Pakistan offers an apology for the alleged war crimes of 1971. But Pakistan has already refuted the charges of atrocities, and is still sticking to its stance despite unprecedented pressure exerted by Bangladesh.

The sudden thaw in relations between the two countries is a good development for the region. It will not only help augment the existing limit of the bilateral trade (which is approximately $780 million) but also transform the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region into a peaceful and integrated zone. The two countries need to continue their sustained diplomatic engagements to resolve the current spat or misunderstanding and build a new road on a sound basis leading to durable peace, progress and prosperity in the ostensibly volatile region.

Guldar Khan Wazir

Loralai