Bangladesh asks Pakistan to apologise for 1971 genocide

[akheR]

Bangladesh on Friday demanded a formal apology from Pakistan for the genocide committed by its troops during the 1971 liberation war, but Islamabad said it's time to carry forward ties "burying the past".

During a meeting with her Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said "Bangladesh expects an apology from Pakistan for the genocide carried out by their troops in 1971".

He said Moni also underscored the need for resolving the other outstanding issues with Pakistan, foreign secretary Mijarul Quayes quoted the minister as saying.

In response, Quayes said, the Pakistani foreign minister said since 1974 Islamabad "at different times and different manners expressed its regret for the 1971 incidents".

"She (Khar) said it is now the time to proceed forward burying the past."

Quayes's comments came as Moni told a private news agency yesterday that Pakistan must apologise for the mass killings.

Khar, the first Pakistani minister to visit Dhaka since the ruling Awami League assumed office three years ago, arrived here on a five-hour tour to invite Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the Developing-8 Summit to be held in Islamabad on November 22.

Khar later called on Hasina and handed over an invitation letter from Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari at her Ganabhaban official residence.

She is also expected to meet main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief and ex-premier Khaleda Zia ahead of her departure.

Bangladesh was the eastern wing of Pakistan until 1971 when it won its independence after a nine-month long liberation war against Pakistani troops.

The incumbent government has been demanding Islamabad's official apology for the Pakistani troops' atrocities during the liberation war.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bangladesh-asks-pakistan-to-apologise-for-1971--genocide/1029308

 

[King Cobra]

About time .

Biggest Genocide committed by any Nation on its own people post WW2 era .

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

This demand isn't new, it comes up periodically. Out of interest, what would be the repercussions of an apology? Is it just acknowledgement required or compensation of some sort?

There are similar claims against a few countries, the Turkey-Armenia dispute being one for example.

 

[QazzarFan]

This demand isn't new, it comes up periodically. Out of interest, what would be the repercussions of an apology? Is it just acknowledgement required or compensation of some sort?

There are similar claims against a few countries, the Turkey-Armenia dispute being one for example.

How will you compensate taking away 20 lives from a single family? No amount of compensation can ever fulfill the ache felt by generations. However, a publicized official apology acknowledging the genocide would heal some wounds.

Few younger Pakistanis I came across weren't even aware of the colossal casualty inflicted in this war. To this day a lot of Pakistanis simply dismiss the idea of mass rape/killings. That by itself offends the memory of the victims. The callous attitude, dismissive altercations all to more points to the fact that to this day many Pakistani families have little to no regret when it comes to 1971.

 

[Markhor]

An apology was given under the Musharraf government (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor.../1403185/Musharraf-apology-to-Bangladesh.html)

His words received a mixed response, with the Bangladeshi government welcoming them but the country's opposition denouncing his gesture as inadequate.

Bangladesh would want more than an apology. If Pakistan accepts culpability then the UN War Crimes Tribunal could get involved. Pakistan would also have to pay out billions in compensation at a time when Pakistan's own economy is in tatters.

 

[kingkhan1996]

How will you compensate taking away 20 lives from a single family? No amount of compensation can ever fulfill the ache felt by generations. However, a publicized official apology acknowledging the genocide would heal some wounds.

Few younger Pakistanis I came across weren't even aware of the colossal casualty inflicted in this war. To this day a lot of Pakistanis simply dismiss the idea of mass rape/killings. That by itself offends the memory of the victims. The callous attitude, dismissive altercations all to more points to the fact that to this day many Pakistani families have little to no regret when it comes to 1971.

What about the Bihari people

 

[Masum rahman]

i think pakistan should make the apology

 

[LethalSami]

Apologize how many times????

Mushi apologized during his rule

 

[ahmedzee]

Pakistan already made an apology under Musharraf.
Maybe, what BD govt wants is, that whenever there is change in regime in Pakistan, they expect an apology.
Sorry, but I have to say that even if Pakistan apologizes every 4 years, Bangladesh will come up again and say apologize to us.
There needs to be a treaty or something that should be official. This would disable Bangladesh of asking for an apology everytime Pakistani ministers go to BD.

 

[hafeezrocks]

If only Bhutto could have let go his ego and handed over the power to Mujibur , we would not have seen the war or days such as this .

 

[Markhor]

If only Bhutto could have let go his ego and handed over the power to Mujibur , we would not have seen the war or days such as this .

Indeed, he threatened to break the legs of any PPP members who turned up at the inaugural session of the National Assembly when the Awami League won the elections in 1970.

Ayub Khan also treated Bengalis as backward savages, the Pakistani general/military establishment of the time thought of Bengalis as racially inferior.

 

[akheR]

If only Bhutto could have let go his ego and handed over the power to Mujibur , we would not have seen the war or days such as this .

An interesting trivia : when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman began to talk of separation from West Pakistan, two men personally went to met him, two "traitors" (as per Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's establishement), the Pakhtoon traitor Khan Abdul Wali Khan and the Baloch traitor Mir Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo. They literally begged him to not break Pakistan - what happened ? He agreed!

But ZAB and his general decided to launch the Operation Searchlight, rape Bengali women and target-kill the Bengali intelligentsia, and I'm glad they separated, because I've seen some really gruesome videos of Pak soldiers making a line out of few really young Bengali students and shooting them point blank, between the two eyes - these chaps, who were probably not as old as I am, generally didn't have the chance of Malala Yousufzai as when a Pak soldier goes out to kill he tries to finish his job well - and I was wondering "do you do that to children you consider as you own ?"... never.

 

[Dhaka]

"Let bygones be bygones" - Musharraf
That is not an apology...

The repurcussion for Pakistan is that the Army personnel responsible for some of the war crimes would be put under trial...Given the power army holds in Pakistan, that is impossible, they will never apologise...

 

[akheR]

Ayub Khan also treated Bengalis as backward savages, the Pakistani general/military establishment of the time thought of Bengalis as racially inferior.

The irony being that if Pakistan has known an 'economic miracle' during Ayub Khan's era, it was because of East Pakistan's industry... and indeed they were under-represented in the Army, I think I've read the 2-3% figure in the 60s, and some were actually 'mocking' them because if the mini. height to join the Army dropped from 5'7'' to 5'4'' (think it works that way till today ?) it was supposedly to have few Bengalis amongst the Pak shaheens... one famous being MM Alam, the famous fighter pilot.

But there quite few "high calibre" politicians of Bengali origin (first President of Pakistan, Iskander Mirza, or one of the founding father of Pakistan's largest party, the PPP, Jalaludin Abdur Rahim, etc)

 

[hafeezrocks]

The irony being that if Pakistan has known an 'economic miracle' during Ayub Khan's era, it was because of East Pakistan's industry... and indeed they were under-represented in the Army, I think I've read the 2-3% figure in the 60s, and some were actually 'mocking' them because if the mini. height to join the Army dropped from 5'7'' to 5'4'' (think it works that way till today ?) it was supposedly to have few Bengalis amongst the Pak shaheens... one famous being MM Alam, the famous fighter pilot.

But there quite few "high calibre" politicians of Bengali origin (first President of Pakistan, Iskander Mirza, or one of the founding father of Pakistan's largest party, the PPP, Jalaludin Abdur Rahim, etc)

Wasnt Husein Suhrawadi the PM also a bengali ?

I think the Bengalis had some influence , it wasnt zero % as some like to claim .

 

[boomboomcheema]

Can anyone shed some light over why Father of Nation Mujubhar Rehman was assassinated ? Some fellows say that he turned out to be a corrupt Indian agent and was hence killed by Patriots of Bengal . Is that true ?

 

[Garuda]

Can anyone shed some light over why Father of Nation Mujubhar Rehman was assassinated ? Some fellows say that he turned out to be a corrupt Indian agent and was hence killed by Patriots of Bengal . Is that true ?

Not sure about allegation of Mujibur but how did you come to the conclusion that the assasin was a patriot Bengali?

 

[boomboomcheema]

Not sure about allegation of Mujibur but how did you come to the conclusion that the assasin was a patriot Bengali?

By patriots of Bengal I meant Bangladeshi ppl , his own ppl .

From whatever Anti-mujib articles I have gathered , his critics projects the assasins as Patriots .

Take a look at this article :
http://rupeenews.com/2011/12/why-mujib-ur-rehman-was-killed-by-bengali-patriots-on-august-14th-1975/

Am just not sure if what is written is true hence conforming .

 

[GentleMan]

even Father of Nation Gandhi was assassinated by Godse who some consider a patriotic indian..so how do you define patriotism..someones misguided actions based on what he thinks is good for his country??

 

[Garuda]

By patriots of Bengal I meant Bangladeshi ppl , his own ppl .

From whatever Anti-mujib articles I have gathered , his critics projects the assasins as Patriots .

Take a look at this article :
http://rupeenews.com/2011/12/why-mujib-ur-rehman-was-killed-by-bengali-patriots-on-august-14th-1975/

Am just not sure if what is written is true hence conforming .

Yah, the assasin was a Bangladeshi citizen, but nothing to say that if he was a patriot bengali.

That was my objection to your question.

And regarding the article you mentioned that it is anti-mujib article. So obvious they will hail the assasin. Why to take it seriously to start with ?

 

[Markhor]

Wasnt Husein Suhrawadi the PM also a bengali ?

Yes he was - infact here he is.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RNiFZ856fk0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Can anyone shed some light over why Father of Nation Mujubhar Rehman was assassinated ? Some fellows say that he turned out to be a corrupt Indian agent and was hence killed by Patriots of Bengal . Is that true ?

Well he wasn't exactly a champion of democracy.

The newly created Bangladesh suffered from high unemployment and poverty, his government was highly corrupt, and inept and the 1974 famine occurred under his watch. The government's mismanagement of food grain stocks was one of the reasons behind the famine that killed up to 1 million people.

Mujibur Rehman established a one-party state, banned all other political parties and imposed restrictions on the media apart from government-owned newspapers. That was a socialist experiment gone wrong. I wonder whether Sheikh Hasina will apologise for her parties failings which cost lives too.

 

[Dhaka]

Yes he was - infact here he is.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RNiFZ856fk0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Well he wasn't exactly a champion of democracy.

The newly created Bangladesh suffered from high unemployment and poverty, his government was highly corrupt, and inept and the 1974 famine occurred under his watch. The government's mismanagement of food grain stocks was one of the reasons behind the famine that killed up to 1 million people.

Mujibur Rehman established a one-party state, banned all other political parties and imposed restrictions on the media apart from government-owned newspapers. That was a socialist experiment gone wrong. I wonder whether Sheikh Hasina will apologise for her parties failings which cost lives too.

Except the bolded part, the rest of the statement is correct....

He was not corrupt but definately not great at running a country... And Famine is never a result of grain stock management, just not enough production of food compared to the population and very little food aid...

 

[ahmedzee]

"Let bygones be bygones" - Musharraf
That is not an apology...

The repurcussion for Pakistan is that the Army personnel responsible for some of the war crimes would be put under trial...Given the power army holds in Pakistan, that is impossible, they will never apologise...

Don't know which world you are living in.
Anyways, here is exactly how Musharraf apologized:

"Your brothers and sisters in Pakistan share the pain of the events in 1971. The excesses committed during the unfortunate period are regretted. Let us bury the past in the spirit of magnanimity. Let not the light of the future be dimmed. Let us bury the past in the spirit of magnanimity. Let not the light of the future be dimmed. Let us move forward together. Courage to compromise is greater than to confront'"

Bangladesh govt welcomed the apology:

"We welcome what President Musharraf wrote in Savar and (said) at the banquet last night"

Now, what other kind of apology BD govt is asking?
Want us to bend over and offer your army to do something similar?

It has been 42 years since, I think Bengalis should also try to forget what happened. The animosity will only hurt you guys. It won't bring peace. Acknowledge that an average Pakistani is also hurt what was done in 1971. It was a huge thing what Mush did and I urge my Bengali friends to acknowledge that and bury the hatchet. It won't make you or us disloyal to our nation if we forget the crime committed in the past. Peace and love is the only solution.

Apology (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor.../1403185/Musharraf-apology-to-Bangladesh.html)

Apology Accepted by BD
(http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jul/30bang.htm)

 

[Garuda]

^^ When USA regretted over Salala event, Pakistan didn't accept it as apology.

But when Mushy regrets over 1971, it is considered as apology by Pakistanis.

Reason?

 

[Dhaka]

Don't know which world you are living in.
Anyways, here is exactly how Musharraf apologized:

"Your brothers and sisters in Pakistan share the pain of the events in 1971. The excesses committed during the unfortunate period are regretted. Let us bury the past in the spirit of magnanimity. Let not the light of the future be dimmed. Let us bury the past in the spirit of magnanimity. Let not the light of the future be dimmed. Let us move forward together. Courage to compromise is greater than to confront'"

Bangladesh govt welcomed the apology:
"We welcome what President Musharraf wrote in Savar and (said) at the banquet last night"

Now, what other kind of apology BD govt is asking?
Want us to bend over and offer your army to do something similar?

It has been 42 years since, I think Bengalis should also try to forget what happened. The animosity will only hurt you guys. It won't bring peace. Acknowledge that an average Pakistani is also hurt what was done in 1971. It was a huge thing what Mush did and I urge my Bengali friends to acknowledge that and bury the hatchet. It won't make you or us disloyal to our nation if we forget the crime committed in the past. Peace and love is the only solution.

Apology (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor.../1403185/Musharraf-apology-to-Bangladesh.html)

Apology Accepted by BD
(http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jul/30bang.htm)

He accepted that Army committed excess and than said for the future friendship we must bury the past...... I am sorry but I dont see the apology...

If I slap you and tell you "yes I have commited excess" but lets "forget that I slapped you"..... That is not an apology my friend...

The matter has been Regretted and "We apologise" is not the same thing....

if it was I am sure it wont hurt them to say the latter again for clarity sake but that will never happen....

 

[Markhor]

Except the bolded part, the rest of the statement is correct....

He was not corrupt but definately not great at running a country... And Famine is never a result of grain stock management, just not enough production of food compared to the population and very little food aid...

Well the government's grain stock management was one cause but the 1974 famine had multiple causes. There was legislation restricting movement of foodgrains between districts, foodgrain smuggling to neighbouring countries and other distributional failures.

I agree that the food aid was an issue, the US had withheld 2.2 million tonnes of food aid as Bangladesh was exporting jute to Cuba.

However Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was corrupt - When he was the Minister of Commerce and Industries, he indulged in rampant corruption, nepotism and misuse of power. He used his power in giving out permits, licenses, bank loans, and sanction to establish industries to people who were loyal to him and his cronies.

Regarding the state of corruption during Mujib’s regime, the reputed journalist Lawrence Lift Shulz wrote in the Far Eastern Economic Review on 30th Aug 1974. "Corruption and malpractices are nothing new. But people of Dhaka thinks the way the corruption and malpractices and plunder of national wealth that had taken place during Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s regime is unprecedented".

It was virtually impossible for the government to gain any economic or political achievements with such loots and plunders in a newly independent war ravaged country. The looters did not plough back their ill-gotten wealth in the national economy; they spent that fortune for their luxuries and comforts. But the government had to pay heavily as its image got tarnished in the eyes of the people and the world.

The government became isolated from the people. Against the promise to turn Bangladesh into ‘Golden Bengal’ the ruling elites turned Bangladesh into a 'bottom less basket'. The common people viewed this as a national betrayal. They became dejected with the Awami League leadership.

So I simply cannot accept some people's rose-tinted view that Mujibur Rehman was this warrior of freedom and liberty. League lost the people’s support, which was so vital for any government to govern. Gradually they also lost the support of many powerful quarters within the government itself. Their support within the students, youths and armed forces eroded substantially.

If there are to be apologies - let's also hear the Awami League's apology, their policies and inaction in the 1970s cost lives too.

 

[RexRex]

If Pakistan accepts culpability then the UN War Crimes Tribunal could get involved. Pakistan would also have to pay out billions in compensation at a time when Pakistan's own economy is in tatters.

They aren't going to have a tribunal over issues of over 40 years ago.A lot of countries would come into the frame then.

 

[Dhaka]

Well the government's grain stock management was one cause but the 1974 famine had multiple causes. There was legislation restricting movement of foodgrains between districts, foodgrain smuggling to neighbouring countries and other distributional failures.

I agree that the food aid was an issue, the US had withheld 2.2 million tonnes of food aid as Bangladesh was exporting jute to Cuba.

However Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was corrupt - When he was the Minister of Commerce and Industries, he indulged in rampant corruption, nepotism and misuse of power. He used his power in giving out permits, licenses, bank loans, and sanction to establish industries to people who were loyal to him and his cronies.

Regarding the state of corruption during Mujib’s regime, the reputed journalist Lawrence Lift Shulz wrote in the Far Eastern Economic Review on 30th Aug 1974. "Corruption and malpractices are nothing new. But people of Dhaka thinks the way the corruption and malpractices and plunder of national wealth that had taken place during Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s regime is unprecedented".

It was virtually impossible for the government to gain any economic or political achievements with such loots and plunders in a newly independent war ravaged country. The looters did not plough back their ill-gotten wealth in the national economy; they spent that fortune for their luxuries and comforts. But the government had to pay heavily as its image got tarnished in the eyes of the people and the world.
The government became isolated from the people. Against the promise to turn Bangladesh into ‘Golden Bengal’ the ruling elites turned Bangladesh into a 'bottom less basket'. The common people viewed this as a national betrayal. They became dejected with the Awami League leadership.

So I simply cannot accept some people's rose-tinted view that Mujibur Rehman was this warrior of freedom and liberty. League lost the people’s support, which was so vital for any government to govern. Gradually they also lost the support of many powerful quarters within the government itself. Their support within the students, youths and armed forces eroded substantially.

If there are to be apologies - let's also hear the Awami League's apology, their policies and inaction in the 1970s cost lives too.

Unfortunately even the people who hated him and murdered him was unable to prove his any undeclared wealth because none ever existed...

His wealth and lifestyle is displayed in the house he lived (where he was eventually murdered), its a museam now... You can go and compare that to any leader who lived/lives in luxury and u would know...

Agree with the fact that AL lost peoples support, you can never have one once the country goes through the type of famine that Bangladesh did... it did not have many friends and being a new country with zero infustructure and every dime of foreign currency transferred to the west, the country literally had nothing.....

 

[ahmedzee]

^^ When USA regretted over Salala event, Pakistan didn't accept it as apology.

But when Mushy regrets over 1971, it is considered as apology by Pakistanis.

Reason?

Nuclear devastation in Japan by USA was considered as the worst of all the war crimes. Is USA apologizing for it every single year. They just did it once.
What else you guys expect Pakistan to do? Apologize everyday to BD?

Every Pakistani I met has acknowledged their regrets for what happened in 1971. On diplomatic level Mushy apologized.
What else BD wants?

As for the Salala incident, it was an outside nation, intentionally entering Pakistan airspace and killing their war partners. As for apology, on diplomatic levels, their apology was accepted with the opening of fuel lines, if you recall. However, this is not what the thread is about, so I won't comment further.

 

[Dhaka]

Nuclear devastation in Japan by USA was considered as the worst of all the war crimes. Is USA apologizing for it every single year. They just did it once.
What else you guys expect Pakistan to do? Apologize everyday to BD?

Every Pakistani I met has acknowledged their regrets for what happened in 1971. On diplomatic level Mushy apologized.
What else BD wants?
As for the Salala incident, it was an outside nation, intentionally entering Pakistan airspace and killing their war partners. As for apology, on diplomatic levels, their apology was accepted with the opening of fuel lines, if you recall. However, this is not what the thread is about, so I won't comment further.

yes he apologized.....Just because I said so, not necessarily true ....

 

[ahmedzee]

He accepted that Army committed excess and than said for the future friendship we must bury the past...... I am sorry but I dont see the apology...

If I slap you and tell you "yes I have commited excess" but lets "forget that I slapped you"..... That is not an apology my friend...

The matter has been Regretted and "We apologise" is not the same thing....

if it was I am sure it wont hurt them to say the latter again for clarity sake but that will never happen....

We should now accept that whichever way Pakistan apologizes on diplomatic levels, it will some how be rejected or considered as "regret" by Bengalis. So lets agree to disagree here.
For us, we apologized, and there is nothing more Pakistani Govt should do about it. What was in the past is gone. For some of you guys, we haven't apologized. So be it.

 

[Garuda]

Nuclear devastation in Japan by USA was considered as the worst of all the war crimes. Is USA apologizing for it every single year. They just did it once.
What else you guys expect Pakistan to do? Apologize everyday to BD?

Every Pakistani I met has acknowledged their regrets for what happened in 1971. On diplomatic level Mushy apologized.
What else BD wants?

As for the Salala incident, it was an outside nation, intentionally entering Pakistan airspace and killing their war partners. As for apology, on diplomatic levels, their apology was accepted with the opening of fuel lines, if you recall. However, this is not what the thread is about, so I won't comment further.

You quoted Mush where his statement said "regret" and you posted it as apology from Pakistan.

So, in that logic Salala case's "regret" from USA should also be considered as apology.

Do you agree?

and No, their regret was not accepted as apology and the supply lines were closed for many months. Sorry my friend, we also follow news.

 

[Buffet]

We should now accept that whichever way Pakistan apologizes on diplomatic levels, it will some how be rejected or considered as "regret" by Bengalis. So lets agree to disagree here.
For us, we apologized, and there is nothing more Pakistani Govt should do about it. What was in the past is gone. For some of you guys, we haven't apologized. So be it.

If president of Pakistan goes to BD and says apology for ....., that will be enough. There is no need to do it every year but need to do it at least once. We regretted it, it was unfortunate etc does not count as apology. Simply apology in simple words will do the job.

You consider his statements as apology which was not an apology to begin with. It changes nothing if apology comes or not because 40 years is too late in my opinion but it will be a nice gesture rather than saying let's move on.

 

[Pakistaniboy]

An apology was given under the Musharraf government (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor.../1403185/Musharraf-apology-to-Bangladesh.html)



Bangladesh would want more than an apology. If Pakistan accepts culpability then the UN War Crimes Tribunal could get involved. Pakistan would also have to pay out billions in compensation at a time when Pakistan's own economy is in tatters.

Make them sign a treaty that they wont demand any such thing.

But would they hold on to that?

Watching their cricket teams antics, it doesnt look like it.


On topic.

Every single country that commits war crimes should apologise.

But then again,

How many countries does that?


My Point of view = Issue a formal apology which should get accepted without any demands.

 

[Dhaka]

[/B]

Make them sign a treaty that they wont demand any such thing.

But would they hold on to that?

Watching their cricket teams antics, it doesnt look like it.


On topic.

Every single country that commits war crimes should apologise.

But then again,

How many countries does that?


My Point of view = Issue a formal apology which should get accepted without any demands.

Funny a Pakistani national complaining abt out cricket teams antics.... Although I think you mean management and not the team...

Secondly why would you want to protect someone who commited war crimes?? What message are you trying to send?

 

[Pakistaniboy]

Funny a Pakistani national complaining abt out cricket teams antics.... Although I think you mean management and not the team...

Secondly why would you want to protect someone who commited war crimes?? What message are you trying to send?

Yep I meant the management.

And im sorry for not being clear,

I would NOT want anyone to go free if they have commited war crimes.

I just gave examples,

Its not unusual if a country doesnt issue a formal apology,

No country would want to admit what they have done.

 

[Dhaka]

Yep I meant the management.

And im sorry for not being clear,

I would NOT want anyone to go free if they have commited war crimes.

I just gave examples,

Its not unusual if a country doesnt issue a formal apology,

No country would want to admit what they have done.

So you dont believe certain personnel from the Pakistan army commited war crimes? Or you believe that they did but you think it somehow is wrong to admit it? Also why regret it if there is a belief that nothing wrong was being done at the first place?

 

[Pakistaniboy]

So you dont believe certain personnel from the Pakistan army commited war crimes? Or you believe that they did but you think it somehow is wrong to admit it? Also why regret it if there is a belief that nothing wrong was being done at the first place?

Well, I suppose they did.

I dont know it for sure as I have never really read much on this topic.

Im only 17 so not seen much on this topic in media either.

 

[shan]

Not before they apologize for spreading 3 million BS figure around.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

At least Pakistan has acknowledged some shame at the events of the 1971 war. Scant consolation for those brutalised no doubt, but Bangladesh doesn't seem to accept any atrocities from their side at all despite the fact that the one sided viewpoint has been brought into question:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13417170

I expect Bengalis to contest this, but until the intransigent stances are relaxed to have a proper dialogue this will remain an unresolved issue. I don't really see much that Pakistan can do much further without putting their own future at risk under the threat of huge compensation claims. In the circumstances expectations of a full apology seem hollow and are perhaps more for the home consumption than any real expectation that they will receive one.

 

[James]

Anyone got a balanced academic study or article on 1971 that they can share? The only reading I've done on this subject has been from Wikipedia or from Pakistani/Bangladeshi PPers, so never mind there.

 

[KingKhanWC]

At least Pakistan has acknowledged some shame at the events of the 1971 war. Scant consolation for those brutalised no doubt, but Bangladesh doesn't seem to accept any atrocities from their side at all despite the fact that the one sided viewpoint has been brought into question:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13417170

I expect Bengalis to contest this, but until the intransigent stances are relaxed to have a proper dialogue this will remain an unresolved issue. I don't really see much that Pakistan can do much further without putting their own future at risk under the threat of huge compensation claims. In the circumstances expectations of a full apology seem hollow and are perhaps more for the home consumption than any real expectation that they will receive one.

Spot on.

Bangladesh and Bangladeshi's have not only exaggerated massively the fatalities numbers but people like Qazzarfan has failed to condemn the rape of women by his countrymen when questioned.

Pakistan have bigger things to worry about than Bangladesh's hypocritical demands.

 

[QazzarFan]

Not before they apologize for spreading 3 million BS figure around.

3 Million figure is probably an over estimate but does it really matter? whether 3 million, 300,000 or indeed even 30,000 were killed, the number of deaths in 1971 was very very large. And no-one can really deny that. There is enough substantiated evidence to suggest that whatever the exact number of deaths, a very large number of civilians were killed.....that's still a genocide. According to the Australian doctor, Dr Geofrey Davis,who was working at the treatment camp in 1972, close to 200,000 women were gang raped by Pakistani soldiers.

 

[Dhaka]

At least Pakistan has acknowledged some shame at the events of the 1971 war. Scant consolation for those brutalised no doubt, but Bangladesh doesn't seem to accept any atrocities from their side at all despite the fact that the one sided viewpoint has been brought into question:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13417170

I expect Bengalis to contest this, but until the intransigent stances are relaxed to have a proper dialogue this will remain an unresolved issue. I don't really see much that Pakistan can do much further without putting their own future at risk under the threat of huge compensation claims. In the circumstances expectations of a full apology seem hollow and are perhaps more for the home consumption than any real expectation that they will receive one.

Hahaha. U attacked us, you guys were the aggressors, first you looted our resources, racially abused us and than in 1971 killed and raped bengalis mercilessly and than complain about some retaliatory attacks on biharis, whom btw even you guys dont recognise as Pakistani citizens.

And We by the way are really sorry for the post 1971 retalliatory attacks against the biharis, we even gave them our citizenship at the time of last election, so they are not regarded as stranded Pakistanis but formal Bangladeshi citizens... (there is still a very small minority, in hundreds not thousands, who denied the citizenship and still want to go back to Pakistan but your government fails to recognise them, so u should be the last person complaining about them)...

 

[GentleMan]

Imran Khan's views

Pakistani politician and former cricketer Imran Khan said if the Pakistanis who committed crimes during the Liberation War of Bangladesh had been punished, the present scenario in Pakistan would have been different.

The Caravan, a Britain-based magazine, published an interview of Imran on its January issue. Imran told the magazine the events (Bangladesh's Liberation War) in 1971 provided a lesson about the rule of law.

"Had people been punished, we [Pakistan] would not be going through this again," said Imran.

The cricketer-turned politician told the magazine he had overhead instructions to kill Bengalis in 1971 when he was in Dhaka to play a cricket match.

He claimed he had been on the last flight out of Dhaka before the Pakistani army launched an assault on March 25, 1971.

"These ears heard people saying: 'Small and dark. Kill them. Teach them a lesson'," he said. "I heard it with my own ears."

Imran, who was on a cricket tour as an 18-year-old youngster, however did not identify who gave the instructions and to whom.

Now the leader of Pakistani political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran said he now hears similar instructions within Pakistan.

"It's exactly the same language which I hear this time," he said in the interview, adding that today it is Pashtuns who are ill-treated.

"In Pindi, in Lahore, in Karachi, they've been picked up and thrown into jail because they are Pashtun. This is a sad legacy."

According to media reports, around 30 to 35 million Pashtuns living in Afghanistan and Pakistan are the direct victims of the "war on terror" since 2001, when Pakistan became the partner of the USA in the “war on terror”. The media termed it "Pashtun genocide". Pashtuns want neither Taliban nor the army on their land.

The former cricketer believes if the Pakistani offenders of 1971 had been punished, the Pashtun would not be harassed in Pakistan today.

The magazine says until his visit to Dhaka in 1971, Imran had believed in the Pakistani state propaganda of the time, which painted the rebellion as the work of a few Indian-backed militants.

"That was the first time I realised that there was a separatist movement going on," he said. "We knew nothing about what was going on in East Pakistan."

Around three million people were killed and more than a quarter million women violated during the nine-month bloody Liberation War that started on March 26, 1971.

The Pakistani occupation forces launched a massacre on unarmed civilians at the night of March 25, 1971. More than 10 million people were displaced from the country and became refugees in India.

Thirty-nine years after independence, an International Crimes Tribunal was set up in 2010 to try the Bangladeshi war criminals, who not only opposed the Liberation War to foil the birth of Bangladesh but also actively helped Pakistani army to commit mass killings, genocide and other war crimes.

Seven accused Bangladeshi war criminals have so far been facing charges for crimes committed during the War.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Hahaha. U attacked us, you guys were the aggressors, first you looted our resources, racially abused us and than in 1971 killed and raped bengalis mercilessly and than complain about some retaliatory attacks on biharis, whom btw even you guys dont recognise as Pakistani citizens.

And We by the way are really sorry for the post 1971 retalliatory attacks against the biharis, we even gave them our citizenship at the time of last election, so they are not regarded as stranded Pakistanis but formal Bangladeshi citizens... (there is still a very small minority, in hundreds not thousands, who denied the citizenship and still want to go back to Pakistan but your government fails to recognise them, so u should be the last person complaining about them)...

Well the Bengali population of Pakistan diminished to 10,000 during the war but following the end of hostilities 200,000 who had fled returned to Pakistan having failed to settle in Bangladesh. So I guess they were welcomed back rather than dwelling on past animosities.

 

[Pakistaniboy]

Well...

I guess an apology will come the day Turkey apologies to Armenia and United States and Israel apologies for what they have done.

In other words;

Its Never gonna happen.

Now dont bash me,

Im just stating the obvious,

No country would issue and apology like I earlier mentioned in this thread.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Well...

I guess an apology will come the day Turkey apologies to Armenia and United States and Israel apologies for what they have done.

In other words;

Its Never gonna happen.

Now dont bash me,

Im just stating the obvious,

No country would issue and apology like I earlier mentioned in this thread.

Imagine the reparations India would expect from England if they accepted liability for the past. We already have Indians calling for the return of the Crown jewels from the Queen's head. It's a Pandora's Box scenario.

 

[Pakistaniboy]

Imagine the reparations India would expect from England if they accepted liability for the past. We already have Indians calling for the return of the Crown jewels from the Queen's head. It's a Pandora's Box scenario.

Yep.

Exactly.

 

[Dhaka]

Well the Bengali population of Pakistan diminished to 10,000 during the war but following the end of hostilities 200,000 who had fled returned to Pakistan having failed to settle in Bangladesh. So I guess they were welcomed back rather than dwelling on past animosities.

Bengalis dont necessarily mean bangladeshis..... like pakhtuns dont mean afghans...

And there is no way any bangladeshi citizen could travel to pakistan for 3 years after the war as both countries failed to recognise one another....

 

[Dhaka]

Well...

I guess an apology will come the day Turkey apologies to Armenia and United States and Israel apologies for what they have done.

In other words;

Its Never gonna happen.

Now dont bash me,

Im just stating the obvious,

No country would issue and apology like I earlier mentioned in this thread.

And somehow that convoluted logic makes it acceptable to not apologise for the hundreds of thousands of rapes and murders!! Good....

 

[Pak-Legend]

I have more respect for Indian muslims than Bangladeshi muslims (only those who hold this apologetic and stubborn view). It's sad to see Bangladeshis still asking for apologies and stirring arguments among the muslim ummah. If a political leader of Pakistan (and the majority of Pakistani citizens) had already apologized, there is no reason to continuously bring up the issue and add more flame to the fire. Continuously asking for apologies is not going to solve the problem in the first place, instead we should work on improving ties between the two countries - not destroying them.

 

[Pakistaniboy]

And somehow that convoluted logic makes it acceptable to not apologise for the hundreds of thousands of rapes and murders!! Good....

Nah,

Not all.

Its just that you wont get an apology.

Its just like that.

 

[Pak-Legend]

And somehow that convoluted logic makes it acceptable to not apologise for the hundreds of thousands of rapes and murders!! Good....

God will grant justice to those who deserve it.

There is no need to throw numbers around and continuously ask for apologies for issues in the past; when in current times there are bigger issues both countries should be dealing with.

 

[Dhaka]

I have more respect for Indian muslims than Bangladeshi muslims. It's sad to see Bangladeshis still asking for apologies and stirring arguments among the muslim ummah. If a political leader of Pakistan (and the majority of Pakistani citizens) had already apologized, there is no reason to continuously bring up the issue and add more flame to the fire. Continuously asking for apologies is not going to solve the problem in the first place, instead we should work on improving ties between the two countries - not destroying them.

Really glad that you do not respect us!!!
We really do not want respect from someone who by the sound of it only respects Muslims and no one else!!!

 

[Pakistaniboy]

God will grant justice to those who deserve it.

There is no need to throw numbers around and continuously ask for apologies for issues in the past; when in current times there are bigger issues both countries should be dealing with.

Yes.

Both countries need to focus on their problems.

This is something which wont happen.

Both countries knows that so why keep on hanging on this issue?

But then again its understandable since its the Banglas who has endured this killings and so on.

But those you were wrong will get punished and many has been so its better to forget it and go on and improve our countries.

 

[Dhaka]

God will grant justice to those who deserve it.

There is no need to throw numbers around and continuously ask for apologies for issues in the past; when in current times there are bigger issues both countries should be dealing with.

Why have a justice system than if God will deliver justice anyways....!! I dont even know why i am so bothered to reply to these posts... I guess i am the crazy one...

 

[Pakistaniboy]

Why have a justice system than if God will deliver justice anyways....!! I dont even know why i am so bothered to reply to these posts... I guess i am the crazy one...

How many of those responsible are alive today?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Bengalis dont necessarily mean bangladeshis..... like pakhtuns dont mean afghans...

And there is no way any bangladeshi citizen could travel to pakistan for 3 years after the war as both countries failed to recognise one another....

Okay well these are no longer issues we have to deal with so I guess you should take them up with your neighbours. Good luck and God bless.

 

[DoosraTeesra]

Bangladesh needs to move ahead and stop being stuck in the past almost half a century back. Both Nations should regret their excesses. Part of blame lies on bangladeshis and part of it lies on us. There is no need for any apology particularly one sided apology.

There is no need for keeping enmity in the hearts. Keep the history in the books

 

[Dhaka]

Bangladesh needs to move ahead and stop being stuck in the past almost half a century back. Both Nations should regret their excesses. Part of blame lies on bangladeshis and part of it lies on us. There is no need for any apology particularly one sided apology.

There is no need for keeping enmity in the hearts. Keep the history in the books

LOL!!!!

please read the history books before typing whatever jibbrish come to mind....

 

[Dhaka]

Okay well these are no longer issues we have to deal with so I guess you should take them up with your neighbours. Good luck and God bless.

No idea what u mean there....

but anyways, it is fine, do not learn from history and do not recognise the mistakes.... you will only end up making the same mistakes again as a result...
Good luck...

 

[Pak-Legend]

Why have a justice system than if God will deliver justice anyways....!! I dont even know why i am so bothered to reply to these posts... I guess i am the crazy one...

While Muslims in this world are being massacred due to genocide / attacks by the Taliban / drones; the least of your worries should be what happened 40+ years ago.

Nobody in this world is going to give you justice; now move on and quit living in the delusional past.

 

[Sachin85]

Why has nobody been punished for the crimes of 1971? How can you apologize without punishing a single person for the hundreds of thousands of rapes and murders?

Punish a few people who were responsible then an apology will not be necessary.

I agree with Imran Khan regarding punishing those responsible for the crimes in 1971.

 

[adnanulhaq97]

Just apologise Pakistan, it will not hurt us.....Lets move on

I apologise Bangladesh for whatever happend

 

[justarslan]

You quoted Mush where his statement said "regret" and you posted it as apology from Pakistan.

So, in that logic Salala case's "regret" from USA should also be considered as apology.

Do you agree?

and No, their regret was not accepted as apology and the supply lines were closed for many months. Sorry my friend, we also follow news.

Stop crying Garuda or move to Midwest US and start crying again to end the drought.

 

[straightdrive1]

Bangladesh and all Bangladeshis please move on!

If you didn't want the War & the fight then why did you fight for your language? Why didn't you just accept Urdu?

War is a war and there will be deaths from both sides.Demanding apology every-time is not a good move especially when it has been done before.

 

[hafeezrocks]

If you didn't want the War & the fight then why did you fight for your language? Why didn't you just accept Urdu?

what are you saying ? Why should they accept Urdu first of all ? Are they Biharis ? Why cant Bengali be language of a Muslim ?

If it was wrong on their part to fight against imposition of Urdu , then it was also wrong to fight to impose urdu on them .

Urdu can be easily imposed/accepted on/by , lets say Punjabis , who might have an inferiority complex towards their culture/language , unlike Bengalis for whom their own language is 2nd to none .

Eventually they won right .

 

[spinDoc]

its our moral duty to apologise

 

[umerz]

Just a general question for my knowledge. Are their any nations who have apologized to other nation?
I guess Japan did once to China?

 

[cricketjoshila]

Just a general question for my knowledge. Are their any nations who have apologized to other nation?
I guess Japan did once to China?

The thing is that,East Pakistan was a part of Pakistan when these excesses were done.The Pak army killed millions of its own countrymen and fellow muslims and yet they shamelessly still claim to defend Islam.

 

[Down2Earth]

did the americans apologise to the native indians? did the Aussies apologise to the aborigines?

 

[Yossarian]

In diplomatic terms, 'regret' is the best that a country will ever offer without leaving itself open to compensation claims and war crimes accusations against it's political and military leaders.

 

[DHONI183]

Anyone got a balanced academic study or article on 1971 that they can share? The only reading I've done on this subject has been from Wikipedia or from Pakistani/Bangladeshi PPers, so never mind there.

James, you will never get any clear view of it in this case. Whichever way, an unfortunate event it was.

did the americans apologise to the native indians? did the Aussies apologise to the aborigines?

Good point. Hardly anybody does that.

Have USA apologized to Japan?

 

[Yossarian]

Originally Posted by Down2Earth
did the americans apologise to the native indians? did the Aussies apologise to the aborigines?

Have the English ever apologised to the Irish?

 

[Kwremb]

Have the English ever apologised to the Irish?

Or to it's old colonies?(genuine question as I don't know)

 

[James]

Have the English ever apologised to the Irish?

If you're talking about Bloody Sunday, eventually they did. David Cameron intentionally made it the very first thing he did during his premiership.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10320609

Doesn't excuse the disgraceful events, which amounted to a genuine war crime. And doesn't apologise for other incidents of English-on-Irish discrimination and violence. But still. Better than nothing. In fact still one of the better things Cameron has done

 

[James]

Or to it's old colonies?(genuine question as I don't know)

Not the old colonies as far as I know. Then again it is a complicated one - as is Bangladesh '71. The people who are called on to apologise or end up apologising in these cases, didn't do it! Imperialist, racist, white supremacist, rapist or genocidist isn't the nicest national label to be given even now - but I didn't do it. Nor did the modern Germans who are no longer the Nazis, nor the Pakistani PPers who didn't rout the Bangladeshi scholars and women.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Didn't someone on Question time once say the claims of 'genocide' were exaggerated? An apology of some sort should be made. Perhaps not for the 'genocide' but definitley for the sentiments that Bengalis were inferior to the rest of us.

This doesn't even have to be for the Bangladeshis. Its about time that Pakistan as a nation recognized that we felt a minority group ( that too a muslim minority) was racially inferior to the rest of us, going completely against Islamic teachings that clearly state the equality of races.

 

[akheR]

Didn't someone on Question time once say the claims of 'genocide' were exaggerated?

Sarmila Bose ?