Yunus, Sharif meet in Cairo, discuss settling 1971 issues “once and for all”

In this handout photo released by Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID), Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (L) shakes hands with Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the D-8 summit in Cairo on December 19, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Bangladesh has asked Pakistan to settle the issues of 1971 to help Dhaka move forward with its relationship with Islamabad “once and for all for the future generations,” state-run news agency has said.

Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also discussed the revival of the SAARC and called for a strategic relationship between Dhaka and Islamabad.

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Mr. Yunus and Mr. Sharif met on the margins of the D-8 Summit at Cairo on Friday (December 20, 2024) when the two leaders agreed to strengthen relations through increased trade, commerce, and exchange of sports and cultural delegations, state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) said.

Mr. Yunus urged Mr. Sharif to settle the issues of 1971 to help Dhaka move forward with its relationship with Islamabad and said, “The issues have kept coming again and again. Let’s settle those issues for us to move forward.” Mr. 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, according to the BSS.

Mr. Yunus said it would be nice to resolve things “once and for all for the future generations.” India, Bangladesh and Pakistan on April 9, 1974, signed the tripartite agreement in New Delhi after the 1971 Liberation War. It dealt with the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners of war in Indian camps since December 1971 and the resettlement of stranded populations in the two countries.

Mr. Yunus and Mr. Sharif also discussed the revival of the SAARC, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

Mr. Sharif urged Mr. Yunus to work on the possibility of holding a summit of the regional body.

Calling for a strategic relationship between Dhaka and Islamabad, Mr. Sharif said: “We are really looking forward to strengthening our relationship with our brother-in-country Bangladesh.” Pakistan’s state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted a press release from the prime minister’s office and said Sharif expressed gratitude for the facilitation of trade and travel between Pakistan and Bangladesh, including waiving off the condition of 100 per cent physical inspection of the consignments from Pakistan.

Mr. Sharif, who invited Mr. Yunus to Pakistan, also thanked him for ease of air travel for Pakistani passengers to Bangladesh, the APP said.

The first direct cargo vessel from Karachi docked at Chittagong port in Bangladesh in mid-November, which officials said marked a major step in bilateral trade while Bangladesh has already announced to soon resume direct flights to and from Pakistan.