D8 summit: Bangladesh, Malaysia PMs bow out
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Haseena Wajid has informed the Pakistan government of her non-participation in a key summit on developing countries to be held in Islamabad later this month.
Earlier reports suggested that the Bangladesh would be represented at the conference by Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, however, sources said her attendance also seems unlikely now. According to foreign ministry officials, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes, or one of the advisers to the Bangladeshi premier, will now represent Bangladesh in the summit.
Sources told The Express Tribune that the Bangladesh premier and foreign minister handed over a list of demands to Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar during her visit. The demands included putting on trial former military and political personalities allegedly involved in the military action. Furthermore, Bangladesh sought an official apology from Pakistan for actions during the 1971 war.
Pakistan has said it has regretted the incidents in different forms in the past and that “it was time to move forward.”
Meanwhile, the Malaysian prime minister also excused himself from attending the conference due to prior engagements. However, the reason for his absence could not be confirmed. According to reports, the Malaysian deputy prime minister would lead his delegation in Islamabad.
The D-8 Summit is scheduled to be held on November 22 in Islamabad.
Correction: An earlier version of this article had incorrectly stated "his" instead of "her" when referring to Dipu Moni. The correction has been made.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2012.
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There's no harm in seeking appology from our brotheren in Bangladesh. They'll definitely forgive us for they are very kind hearted too. May allah forgive us all. Aameen.
A simple thing that people and government of Pakistan should realize:
Expressing apology for whatever you have done wrong does not humiliate you, rather it shows how mature and prominent your foreign policy has become.
If you fall deep into a 'bucket' and if you can't see anything outside, the 'bucket' may seem a wonderful place to live as you don't see anything else to compare. For an actual understanding of where your 'bucket' stands you need to come out of it and see it how everyone else is seeing it.
If you look into the member countries of D-8 Summit it seems an odd combination, Bangladesh and Malaysia are not much fond of 'Ummah Brotherhood'. I believe if there is SAARC summit in Pakistan, PM of Bangladesh will certainly be participating.
May be Bangladesh and Malaysia don't find themselves much relevant with the issues like Gaza, Afghanistan and Syria that would most probably be discussed or dominate this conference. Indonesia may be participating to have a batter anti-terror cooperation with Pakistan.
Let Turkey and Egypt lead the 'Ummah' and become the 'Fort of Islam', Pakistan has done enough and suffered enough.
@mr. righty rightist: Yup, The art of moving forward despite the odds - we are a forward looking bunch. If you want to wallow in 5000 years of history be my guest but do not stop us from moving forward.
Purposes and Objectives
According to the first Summit Declaration (Istanbul, 1997), the main objective of D-8 is declared to be socio-economic development in accordance with following principles: Peace instead of conflict. Dialogue instead of confrontation. Cooperation instead of exploitation. Justice instead of double-standard. Equality instead of discrimination. Democracy instead of oppression. Thus D-8 objectives are to improve developing countries’ positions in the world economy, diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at the international level, and provide better standard of living. By the same token, D-8 is a forum with no adverse impact on bilateral and multi-lateral commitments of the member countries, emanating from their membership to other regional or international organizations. The following three phrases are quotations from the D-8 fifth Summit Declaration (Bali, 2006) which illustrates some application of the principle objectives: Commitment to work together to solve the problem of economic disparities within our countries. Reaffirm commitment to enhance cooperation in the field of energy to develop alternative and renewable energy resources. Emphasize the importance of D-8 in contributing to the economic development of its member countries and ensure that it promotes global trade.
@Mard-e-Haq: Pure islamic state? Saudia is your yardstick for purity? I think you are not too well informed. If you did, you would refrain from such platitudes. Saudia showcases the problems that we muslims have with a factor of 10. You only have to look closely to see what I'm talking about. The previous king has, at one time, splurged in excess of $6 million on gambling. Not to mention the partying on yachts anchored off Marbella. Surely the Saudis dont go to pray in the French Riveria or do Dawah? Shariah for the common man, the fruits of pleasure for the connected. Different laws for different people. Fatwas aganst criticizing the Saudi royal family/ government. If that IS Islamic, I wonder what qualifies for un-Islamic in your mind.
This is a moment of thinking for us all. Do we need them to come? Who made them able to turn down our invitation? How to answer it? As a Pkistani, NO we do not need her to come. As a student of history, yes she along with the presidentn of Malaisia were needed to be there. The respect or insult, people give one, is always in one's own hands. Let us confess that the fault is our's and only our's. Not that we should apologise to a person of Haseena Sheikh's calibre but we should accept that we cannot put the blame for this rigidity of her's only on her shoulders. Apart from what she is, and what she intends to do, we should, for one moment, dive in our own transcendent and think. Who degraded us to an extent that a puppet like Sheikh is in a position to refuse our invitation?, is a question worth thinking and answering. Seriously we are the only one to be blamed for it. Let us sincerely think on bringing an industrial revolution in our country and then see how these people go down to their knees in front of us without even mentioning 1971, let alone asking for an apology. We the people of Pakistan are responsible for whatever fate are we going to. Or apologize to this lady, just to admit that we have not learnt any lesson from the history nor do we want to learn from the present situation of chaos and one after another insult. When every choice hurts, how do you tell which one is the right one?
Every dog has his day !!!
Pakistans Ummma blakmail tooo falling apart ... just like nuclear blackmail ...
It's cute how dedicated Indians are to bashing Pakistan. Everyone also goes by a non-indian call-name. ET should do something about its indian-troll problem.
@Hello1: "Do we have a foreign policy? Who is running it ?" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Well, err, the domestic and foreign policies of Pakistan are run by the Army. For details p-ls call up the GHQ. The FO is mere window dressing.
@Mard-e-Haq: just come out from home and see how other countries including muslim countries think about you and your so called land for pure.
@mr. righty rightist: Good one ..
@mr. righty rightist: May I add one more ? NRO move forward.
D8 reduced to D6 ++++++++++++++
political personalities are no more,the question is who is instigated bagladesi after 40 years, they were sleeping during benazir and nawaz sharif era? hasina wajid should remember her father who brought mess in 1970s.by the what pakisn gets from BD? so, let mr. zardari say sorry to HASINA SHAIKH..............
What's the big deal. It happens everywhere that head os states donot attend key summits. There is no need to highlight this petty issue
Pakistan seems to be becoming an international outcast. The Russian President canceled his visit as did the Iranian Vice President. Now the Prime Ministers of Bangladesh and Malaysia refuse to come. The Indian Foreign Minister has also had second thoughts.
Do we have a foreign policy? Who is running it ?
Et tu Malaysia?
This is a grave insult to Ummat-e-muslimeen.
“it was time to move forward.”
Bangladesh genocide, move forward.
Mumbai attacks, move forward.
Ruining Afghanistan, move forward.
Hiding Osmaa, move forward.
Kargil war, move forward.
No surprises there! In this free world each country has a right to take care of their own interests. These are democratically elected leaders and they have to be answerable to their voters and not to us.
Bangladesh along with of Malaysian PM non-participation in D-8 summit is a great setback for Pakistan. The demands laid down by BD though entirely justified have come a bit too late but the past history events shows that Japan apologised to S Korea and US for its atrocities on its people and attack on Pearl Harbour respectively during World War-2 several decades after the war. Whether Pakistan shows the same national character as Japan is like comparing apples with onions but nevertheless a official apology along with trials of political and military personalities for war crimes and not fall of Dhaka as stated in the article is long over-due and should be done without further loss of time.
We should bury their hatchet and start a new relationship with Bangladesh imran khan and pti will do it
So what? What is the big deal? Pakistan is the Land of the Pure. It is the closest to a "pure Islamic state" after Saudi Arabia.
Whoa! What a burn!
The Pakistanis not too long ago used to look down upon Bengalis(and Indians). Now, how well the tables have turned.