ISLAMABAD:
Controversy beckoned as Bangladesh’s foreign ministry revealed that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed has turned down an invitation to a summit in Islamabad next week — a development that officials in Pakistan’s foreign ministry insist they are not aware of.
“The prime minister is not going to attend the summit,” Syed Masud Khundoker, a director-general in Bangladesh’s foreign ministry, told AFP.
An official in Hasina’s office, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the prime minister would not be joining the Developing-8 summit meeting on November 22. Foreign Minister Dipu Moni would instead represent Bangladesh, he added. Neither official explained Hasina’s decision not to attend.
On the contrary, officials in Pakistan’s Foreign Office said they have not received any official communication from their counterparts in Dhaka that Premier Hasina was not coming to Islamabad to attend the
Eight-nation summit.
In fact, officials revealed that an advance team of Bangladeshi officials has already arrived in Islamabad to join those Foreign Office officials who were making arrangements for Premier Hasina’s tour.
“As far as our latest information is concerned she is coming,” an official told The Express Tribune requesting anonymity. “Neither has Bangladesh’s foreign ministry informed the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka about any change in Hasina’s plan nor their high commissioner in Islamabad has conveyed to us any such decision,’’ the official added.
Dhaka-based newspaper The Daily Star said that policy advisers had told Hasina that it would be unwise to visit Pakistan, unless Islamabad offered a formal apology to Dhaka for what it regards as “genocide” during the 1971 war.
(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AFP)
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2012.
COMMENTS (24)
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@Linchpin: Kashmir is India's internal issue..end of story..LoC as the international border is the best thing that can happen going forward. Not an inch more or less...take it or leave it..
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: if it does not matter, why are you commenting here?
@basudeb dey: "... the genocide in 1971 in the name of religion...."? Say that again! Both parties to the conflict professed the same religion. The genocide was a result of cussedness of (West) Pakistani politicians who would not be fair to their brethren in the East nor follow the simple rules of a democratic process -"party with majority forms the government". Genocide was a result of brazen bullying and tendency to perpetually overlord others, a quintessential part of Punjabi character. " Pakistan should also sit down with Govt of Bangladesh for assets sharing.that was stolen by Pakistan Govt in 1971. " What about all the wealth created in the East spent on development of the (West) Pakistan over their entire life together?
What, really, is her problem? Though I never ask this often, I never go off my self but she made me to. I know her father's one, that he wanted to govern a country and would have not been able to do that without making a Bangladesh. But what is her's one? She has it already so what's the fuss? One needs to be famous. Inferiority blazes this wish. And now a days what is more important than to make a headline against Pakistan to be famous? She has to satisfy her lust of power, to be the PM again. She knows the weak link in the Bangali's psyche, which has been planted by her father so well, to hate Pakistanis for what they (the people) did not do, and she knows how to cash it in the next election. Prejudiced mentality never shows much reason, but produces hate and hate effects the judgment. But what when one is bereft of 'Sophia' and have a microscopic canvas of thinking? 1971 salutes and apologies to the "adamant lady of the century", if these are enough to satisfy her lust. Bad behaviour go hard, even harder when it's hereditary.
Doth wisdom comes with modesty and modesty with lasting thoughts. Though, been spent worst will worsen it sole 'good ends' cools the hots.
Be not cowardice, face the facts that 'truth' is always sacred. Yet truth will always be beneath if even ye be 'habitue' of island of hatred.
Move on lady, it's not 1971. This is the 21st century! And you are not India or Cleopatra. Want to be one? To be either one, you need to have the heart of a woman or a mother which will be too poetic for a paranoiac woman like you. In that case, they say, "fools be never blessed".
Bold and courageous move by PM Hasina just like her late Father. Time is now ripe to prosecute GOVT OF PAKISTAN in International Court of Justice for the genocide in 1971 in the name of religion. Just to remind readers that ther is no Statute of Limitation for henious crime against humanity. Example, Israel still prosecuting Nazi war criminals.of 2nd wold war.
Mere apology by Pakistan Govt is not acceptable. Pakistan should also sit down with Govt of Bangladesh for assets sharing.that was stolen by Pakistan Govt in 1971.
@Boby: what about the "will of the people" when a part of Kashmir was given to china by Pakistan?
Genocide cannot be forgotten. She has a backbone.
@Arijit Sharma: No one is asking you for an apology and Kashmir is an international issue - end of story.
She should visit Burma instead and take on the Burmese for their treatment or killing of the Bangla speaking Rohingyas (after all that was a main issue with Pak) or go to Assam to plead for the killing of Bangalis at the hand of the Assamese. She doesn't need to come to Islamabad, no one will miss her.
@ash: How can we forget what Muktibhani did to innocent Pakistani civilians, I know people whose ears and noses were mercilessly cut and their heads severed; shouldn't Bengali people also apologize?
How much more poison are we going to live with? For our future generations lets move forward & show the world that we south Asians are not emotional fools and have the capacity and will to move ahead for a better future.
I rest my case and hope that sanity prevails
Get out of my country you Bangladeshi and Afghanis - unfaithful for our help
@Arjit Sharma"..... Kashmir is a long pending issue, where India has deployed 500K army to subdue civilian population. It needs to be resolved with mutual concent and will of Kashmiri people. Most important is the will of the people, one cannot force anyone to live with them. India and Pakistan should accept will of people with open hearts, without involving their pseudo egos.
She is really tied up with more pressing issues at hand & on the fence.
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: Yes, the meeting can go on with only Pakistan on the table. You need to understand the political and diplomatic significance of Hasina's decision.
@huzaifa: " ... These leaders are dynastic in the nature and form, they carry grudges due to their families past. Due to their “TUNNEL VISION” their nations suffer ... "
Before you advise the Bangladeshis, get your Kashmir TUNNEL VISION checked.
Don’t get alarmed if she (Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina) has turned down Pakistan’s invitation to participate in the summit. She might still have the mindless payback uproar in the back of her mind. She suddenly scrapped her prearranged visit to Pakistan to attend an international summit later this month, without citing any specific reason. She was expected to attend the summit of the Development-8, a grouping of eight nations with Muslim majority population. It is noteworthy that Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar had visited Bangladesh briefly to personally hand over an invitation to Hasina from President Asif Ali Zardari. However, Bangladesh's relations with Pakistan have remained bitter. Overlapping with Khar's five-hour visit to Dhaka, Bangladesh might had reiterated its call for a formal Pakistani apology for the atrocities committed by Pakistani troops during Bangladesh's 1971 Indian conspiracy. This would have been Hasina's first tour to the Pakistani capital since her ruling Awami League was elected to power in December 2008 general elections. Hasina had earlier visited Islamabad as premier during her previous 1996-2001 tenure. I honestly believe she is smoking hubbly bubbly from the wrong end.
Shaukat Naeem Ghumman
Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)
Why did they after 40 something years remember to seek apology from Pakistan?
Hasina has visited Pakistan in the past what is the issue now? No one really cares since this is a no news. This lady is just trying to earn votes.
Bangladesh is not our colony and she is an elected PM of a sovereign country which is making fast progress. BD does not owe anything to Pakistan and it is their choice whether to attend or not. On one hand some of us show no remorse about the atrocities against E. Pakistan on the other they are upset at their absence. It is their right to do what is good for them and their country and not what is going to make us happy.
Seriously someone needs to sit back and look at the state of mess in the country
There is a problm with the South Asian leaders because of which the south Asian nations are struck without major progress. These leaders are dynastic in the nature and form, they carry grudges due to their families past. Due to their "TUNNEL VISION" their nations suffer.
Who is dying to welcome this lady here anyway? We all saw 'her composure and stature' when BD lost to Pakistan in final of Asia Cup.
Way to go Bangladesh. Cheers :)
It does not matter whether Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed comes or not, the meeting will go on.