Settle issues of 1971 to take forward ties

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has urged Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to settle the issues of 1971 and help Dhaka move forward with its relationship with Islamabad.
"The issues have kept coming again and again. Let's settle those issues for us to move forward," Yunus told Sharif during a meeting at a hotel in the Egyptian capital Cairo on the sidelines of the D-8 summit yesterday.
Prof Yunus said it would be nice to resolve things "once and for all for the future generations", according to the chief adviser's press wing.
Sharif said the 1974 tripartite agreement involving Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India settled things, "but if there are other outstanding issues", he would be happy to look at them.
Bangladesh has long been demanding that Pakistan formally apologise to Bangladesh for the genocide committed by the Pakistani military during the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh's relations with Pakistan deteriorated after the lower house National Assembly of Pakistan issued a statement condemning the execution of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders for crimes against humanity committed during the war. The executions were politically motivated, Pakistan claimed.
The relations seemed to be improving after the ouster of the Awami League government following a mass uprising. The interim government led by Nobel laureate Prof Yunus took charge later.
At the meeting in Cairo, Prof Yunus and Sharif agreed to strengthen relations through increased trade and commerce; exchange of sports and cultural delegations; and extended cooperation in new areas such as the sugar industry and dengue management.
They also discussed issues of mutual interest, including the revival of the SAARC—a key feature of the foreign policy announced by the chief adviser after he took over as the head of the interim government.
Sharif called for a strategic relationship between Dhaka and Islamabad, and hailed Prof Yunus for his initiative to revive SAARC. He also praised Bangladesh for working on the possibility of holding a summit of the regional body.
"I am a big fan of the idea of SAARC. I keep harping on the issue. I want a summit of SAARC leaders even if it is only for a photo session because that will carry a strong message," he said.
The Pakistan prime minister offered technical support to better manage Bangladesh's state-run sugar mills.
Noting Pakistan's success in fighting dengue in Punjab a decade ago, Sharif said they can send a delegation to Bangladesh to share their experience.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Prof Yunus's Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi were among others present on the occasion.
Siddiqi invited Dar to visit Bangladesh in February on his way to a Malaysia tour, and he accepted the offer.
Sharif also invited Prof Yunus to visit their country at his convenience.
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