By Syed Mussarat Khalil
JEDDAH — Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) organized a symposium titled “Repatriation of stranded Pakistanis our national obligation” at Salt & Pepper restaurant on Friday.
The event, coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the fall of Dhaka paving the way for the dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971, was presided over by renowned scholar and ex-diplomat Ali Al-Ghamdi.
Other guests and speakers included Shahid Nayeem and Mohammad Jamil Rathore, president and general secretary of Pakistan Journalists Forum (PJF) respectively; Syed Neaz Ahmed, president of Pakistan Writers Forum (PWF); Sardar Iqbal Yousuf and and Khursheed Ahmed of Jammu Kashmir Committee Overseas; and Choudhry Rizwan Rasheed and Choudhry Riaz Ghumman of Pakistan Media Group (PMG), as well as several notable community members.
Deputy convener Hamid Islam Khan conducted and welcomed the guests. He said Pakistan should use the United Nations as well as its relations with the US and other key world players to pressurize India to hold a plebiscite in occupied Kashmir to reflect the will of its people. He said representatives of the Kashmiris must be included in all negotiations taking place between India and Pakistan on the issue.
Khan praised the contributions of Nawai Waqt Fund, OBAT Helpers, IDB, MWDO, FOH and other organizations in alleviating the miseries of stranded Pakistanis in refugee camps in Bangladesh.
Al-Ghamdi said the fall of Dhaka was a tragic event not only for Pakistan but also for the whole Muslim world, which has long-term effects on the Ummah. One of its tragic outcomes is a quarter million patriotic citizens who stood firm behind the army to safeguard the nation›s integrity have been left stranded in refugee camps for more than 45 years because of their loyalty to Pakistan.
He reminded Pakistanis of Quaid-e-Azam’s message that without the sacrifices of Muslims of Bihar Pakistan would never have come into existence. “So don’t let those patriotic Pakistanis perish in Bangladeshi camps. Those Urdu speaking Pakistanis will never be able to assimilate into Bengali society,” Al-Ghamdi said.
“When Nawaz Sharif became the prime minister for the third time there was hope that he would take action for the repatriation of the stranded Pakistanis but unfortunately in the last three years there was no steps taken. ... I am sure organizations like the Muslim World League, IDB and UNHCR will extend financial help if Pakistan decides to execute the repatriation project,” Al-Ghamdi said.
He also appealed to the Bangladeshi government to extend basic needs, such as food, housing, medical care, education and employment to the stranded Pakistanis to let them live like human beings.
Syed Neaz Ahmed said Muslims of Bengal and Bihar played a vital role in creation of Pakistan. “It is our duty to bring stranded Pakistanis back home and settle them in Pakistan,” he said, and called for improving relations with Bangladesh.
Sardar Iqbal Yousuf appreciated the PRC for organizing the symposium and highlighting the issue of Kashmir along with that of stranded Pakistanis. He urged the Islamabad government to solve the issue of stranded Pakistanis and asked India to withdraw its army and organize a plebiscite in Kashmir.
Choudhry Riaz Ghumman said the fall of East Pakistan was a very painful event in which India played an active role. This was acknowledged by Narendra Modi, the current Indian prime minister, and unfortunately “some of our own people also participated” in the dismemberment of Pakistan.
He urged Prime Minister Sharif to fulfil his promise to resettle stranded Pakistanis, which is a national obligation.
Shamsuddin Altaf started his speech in Arabic and praised Al-Ghamdi for his relentless support for the causes of Kashmir and stranded Pakistanis. He paid tribute to those patriots who sacrificed their lives to protect the integrity and solidarity of Pakistan in the 1971 war.
Mohammad Amanatullah, Ashfaq Badayouni, Shahid Nayeem and Agha Akram also spoke.
Convener Ehsan ul Haque thanked Al-Ghamdi and all participants.
He said Urdu speaking Pakistanis are considered traitors in Bangladesh so they will never allow them to settle there. He also condemned the hanging of veteran leaders without a fair trial for siding with Pakistan in the 1971 war, which was a legitimate stand since they were citizens of Pakistan, not Bangladesh, at the time.
He said appealed to Nawaz Sharif to restart the repatriation and rehabilitation of stranded Pakistanis immediately. “To overcome the problem of funds, we suggest implementing the PRC proposal for the settlement of stranded Pakistanis on self-financing basis. Bangladesh should also play its role in solving the issue.
Pakistani High Commissioner in Dhaka should be assigned to take care of food, health, education and security requirements of a quarter million Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh.
He urged the OIC to include on its agenda the issue of the settlement of stranded Pakistanis.
Earlier the function started with the recitation of Holy Quran by Qari Abdul Majeed and a Naat by Sher Afzal.
