Pakistani newspaper editors have regretted the bad times of 1971 when atrocities were committed in the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Sharing views with a media delegation from Bangladesh in Karachi Monday night, they said there were a lot of people in the then West Pakistan (now Pakistan) who had supported the cause of Bangladesh and were even sent to prison. They also stressed the need for improving the Bangladesh-Pakistan relations based on the good experiences between the two nations. “History is now established. We are now two countries,” said Dr JabbarKhattak, secretary general of Council of Pakistani Newspaper Editors (CPNE). “I was then a school student and I can still remember the slogans … Sangram Cholchhe … Sangram Cholbey (movement continues … movement will continue). And for supporting that movement of then East Pakistanis, I, along with many other West Pakistanis, were sent to prison,” said Khattak. “The common people in the then West Pakistan did not endorse the military actions against then East Pakistan’s demands for economic emancipation and political autonomy,” he said, adding that Bangladesh is now a reality and, “we all should accept this reality”. About the reaction of the Pakistan government over the ongoing war crimes trial in Bangladesh, he said that it is a political rhetoric which does not represent the pulse of the people of Pakistan, who believe in people to people cooperation in the greater interest of the region.
The CPNE leader said common people in Pakistan do not believe in any interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh. “The trial of war criminals in Bangladesh is their internal affairs… but there were scopes for forgiveness,” Khattak said. He made the observation at a time when the Pakistani government expressed concerns over the ongoing war crimes trial in Bangladesh and the latter strongly criticised the reaction. Khattak, however, said there are both sweet and bitter experiences with Bangladesh. “We have to go forward based on the good experiences,” he added.
The Bangladesh-Pakistan relations should be strengthened further under the platform of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), the CPNE secretary general said. Regretting that the regional forum is now in trouble, Khattak hoped that the forthcoming SAARC Summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan this year will bring a breakthrough in improving the relations in the region. He also stressed the need for more interaction at the intelligencia-level for better understanding and improving the relation between the two countries. The Pakistani newspaper editors also said that there is a close cultural bonding between Pakistan and Bangladesh and the two brotherly countries should consolidate their relations further based on the good things. Mumtaz Ali, chief editor of Daily News Zne, Naseer Hashmi, editor of Ummat Group of Publications, Aijaz-ul-Haq, chief executive officer of Tribune, A Rahman Mangrio, editor-in-chief of Daily Induspost, Ghulam NabiChandio, editor of Daily Pak Karachi, CPNE leader Amir Mehmood and Syed Sikandar Ali, director general (PR) of the Press Information Department of Pakistan were, among others, present at the programme.