36 years ago, on December 16, 1971, then East Pakistan became Bangladesh.
Last year Adil Najam had a very touching post on the same topic and I’ll strongly recommend a revisit to it here. Raza Rumi had also written a post after revisiting Dhaka recently.
I belong to a generation which did not see those times. My knowledge about this significant event of our history comes from the books I’ve read, things I have heard on the media and from elders, and from Pakistani and Bengali friends I’ve talked to.
A lot of water has passed under the bridges since then. Both nations have gone through a lot in these 36 tumultuous years. Whatever the past may have been - the good times and the bad - we at ATP pray for a bright future for both Pakistan and Bangladesh. We want to wish good luck to Bangladesh and its citizens for a bright future.
This December 16 is also time to seriously think about those Pakistanis who remain stranded in Bangladesh living in camps.
These are people who consider themselves Pakistanis, want to live in Pakistan, and whom we have ignored and forgotten. It is time to welcome them. If Pakistan can give refuge to millions of people from its western bordering country, we can welcome the few thousand who are our own, who remain stranded and stateless in Bangladesh, and who want to return to Pakistan.
Its time to bring them home!
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Regardless of what anyone says, I have full faith in God(SWT) that the day will come when stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh will have their rights.
You are right, we owe it to the stranded Pakistanis to give them the option of returning if they want.
Also, best wishes to all Bangladeshi friends
“The stranded Pakistanis should have the right to return to Pakistan and if they want to then we should do all we can to help them return and help them settle with dignity in the country they want to be part of.”
Thanks F.Ch. for some simple common sense. Somehow we manage to complicate everything, as evident from a few other responses.
I just want to say two things. On Bangladesh, I wish all Bangladeshis the very best on thsi important day for them. Best of luck to you and your country.
On the stranded Pakistanis, who are we to say who is good or bad Pakistanis. Especially Pakistanis who have themselves left their country have little right to say to those who actually want to come to and be Pakistanis that they cannot. The stranded Pakistanis should have the right to return to Pakistan and if they want to then we should do all we can to help them return and help them settle with dignity in the country they want to be part of.
Mudassar,Thanks for the link.
It is truly thought provoking.
It is a shame our dictators have always been busy fighting other nations wars.Education is least of their concern.
It it really funny to see those who show great concern for their ‘fellow muslim brothers’ of other countries have no respect for their fellow Pakistanis especially Sindhis.
>>>Faraz says:Their biggest crime is that they supported Pakistan in time of amry operation.
Learning from the past and shaping the future is what required of us at this moment and with regards to that I want to forward this link of article South Asia :’united we stand’ in todays News by Navaid Hussain
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=867 80. Please read it , it may serve food for thought for all of us.
Thanks
Mudassar