We have to consider (1) What Islam stipulates (2) What are the ground realities in both countries after all that happened.
ISLAM will not simplify the case just by saying both stained their hands with blood so both are even, and you two shake hands again.
Islam will look into all the crevices where rights have been violated since early days. It is the continued policy of disparity that ultimately broke Pakistan, and Bangladeshis, too, know it as well. And that too was done under the banner of Islam.
How so was it done under the banner of Islam? If anything, the problems between West Pakistanis and East Pakistanis resulted because of ethnicity, not Islam which held them together.
Islam definitely looks into all of the crevices, however Islam also puts the blame and liability only on the transgressors. Not their offspring or their clansmen or countrymen.
On the other hand, under the banner of secularism, India fortified all its states by practising parity as much they could.
This is your perception. Your assumption is that Islamic unity does not work, while secularism does. Well that has to be seen. There isn't enough data available to either prove or disprove what you suggest here. If past is anything to work with, both have worked however the prevailing circumstances were different in the past.
Unlike politicians, if you really want both to come as close as possible thru any agreed format, you have to give now Islam a real chance to play. In case of disparity, the violator / beneficiary has to put the first step as Islam stipulates. If some one wants to use Islam as a banner only to gain global strategical benefit, this time it is no longer workable.
Yes indeed. However how many of the violators are around? Why is Pakistan as a nation constantly held hostage to the wrongs of those who have gone before? Lets not try to make this into a perpetual issue of guilt of the sort put on display in Germany for the Jews. Wrongs were indeed committed, but it was neither with the intent of the Germans nor of the scale suffered by the Jews.
If you want to talk about Islam, then do understand that Islam is very clear about the responsibility of the sin. Those who have committed such crimes are not in the government of Pakistan, they do not serve in the Pakistani armed forces and they are not treated with any honour in Pakistan. Speaking from an Islamic point of view, they have coming what they deserve.
GROUND REALITIES are much different when Bangladesh finally could stand from the scratch, cleansed its own house to some extent, provided for last 38 years amenities of life to its vast population from a meagre land without any assistance from the other party. Even alone Bangladesh shaked out Indian Army from the neck, taught BSF few lessons, and got a lead in RMG sector, made some reputation in UN and over all these years braved ravishing cyclones and floods, and still resiliently surviving with some color, and still pushing hard to proceed. Bangladesh has simply toughened with a stern message: YOU HAVE TO BE FAR STRONGER THAN FLOOD & CYCLONE TO WIPE ME OUT.
If they could come this far alone, they can go long way alone: Just we have to become sincere and committed Pro-Bangladeshis.
We are happy for BD and the achievements of BDs. Can you say the same about us?
Only Islam says Bangladesh and similar muslim countries to forge an ummah---not only with Pakistan but also with other Islamic nations. Logically, Pakistan should be the first one to try if they too are ready.
Ummah is there, has always been there, and will remain there no matter how you look at it. A clear display of this ummah is when you see people on the streets of Dhaka come out in demonstrations when people are butchered in the streets of Gaza. This is the concept of ummah. Ummah does not necessitate unification of countries into a single unified polity. That is way off, however the ground work to a power block is by way of sharing in each other's grief and feeling the losses suffered by the ummah around the world.
But, an ominous question will be put by Bangladesh people : Is it a 2nd time mistake in the name of Islam ?
There was no mistake. The 1971 issue had nothing to do with Islam and everything to do with ethnicity which caused problems for the people. BD has made mistakes with democracy, with secularism and no doubt Pakistan did the same with ethnicity and sub-nationalism. We all paid for it, but this was not a failure in the name of Islam. The detractors of the concept of a Muslim polity will always use this example to put down Islam and polish up secularism when the fact is that life has gone on fairly well under both Islamic and secular systems of governance if and when the conditions were right. No system is perfect because those implementing the system are not perfect. Lets try to understand this issue from that point of view.
Therefore, somehow you will have to prove that Pakistan has changed. You and me can not do that unless Pakistan people & Govt display convincingly first what within them have changed towards good. Always "apology' does wonder with both the Khaleque and the Makhluque.
The problem here is that no apology is good enough. Those who have fought in this conflict and the Pakistani nation have been represented by the President of Pakistan, in an official capacity, in rendering an apology but its not good enough or has not been accepted by the BDs in earnest. The issue here is that you are asking an apology from those who had no part to play in the 1971 crises. You mention the Islamic requirements on the issue of justice, but then leave out the fact that the Pakistan of today is not represented by those who committed and abetted the excesses.
What we will not accept is to be seen like the Germans of the day who, despite numerous apologies, are still on the hook for crimes against Jews that they did not commit (their forefather's did).
A few Bangladeshis may say: Go, first get it done with Iran and Afghanistan who are your next door neighbors.
Not sure what is to be done here. Nobody in Pakistan is asking for a re-unification so not sure where the above fits in?
How do you show to them that Pakistan has changed particularly towards Bangladeshi people when you do not even feel that an apology is in order ?
So what did Musharraf do if it was not an apology?
If they say, "Why should we ? Forget it. We are fine alone, and will fight India and everyone alone". OK! OK!! It means the time for forging ummah is not ripe--at least with Pakistan.
Well nobody is forcing anything on BD. But realize that this insistence, despite a formal apology and the fact that none of the perpetrators of excesses are around any longer, does not give much room to either side. Nobody on Pakistan side has said, "Why should we?". Musharraf was straight forward type of a person who had taken part in the 1971 war. If he was candid enough to apologize then maybe BDs should also realize that we have stepped up and done what we can be expected to do. Holding the current Pakistani generation responsible for the wrongs of some in the past is flawed in my opinion.
To Bangladeshis, this unwillingness will not look like a loss as they have already learnt in a hard way how to live fightingly alone with India at side, and are becoming more brazened day by day.
I hope you do not have to fight anyone, however its never a bad thing that you learn to live alone. its certainly not a loss for anyone if you decide to go your way (we have been ever since the independence of BD). However, interestingly enough, this specific issue becomes a big deal every time the Awami League party comes to power in BD. I am sure there is considerable political point scoring to be achieved with this. Otherwise relations get better and warmer between Pakistan and BD year over year.
Life is still more peaceful and travel around Bangldesh is more safer than in Pakistan. Clouds are now much heavier in Pakistan sky. If not for Islam, it is better then to walk our own respective ways.
The clouds that are over Pakistan are due to the physical location of Pakistan and BD and EP were spared from most of the mess even in the past. As I have said earlier, nobody is suggesting reunification, only let the bygones be bygones and focus on the future. Maybe you take comfort in Pakistan's misfortune by pointing out the above, rest assured, us Pakistanis feel the pain everytime there is a cyclone or even during this BDR mutiny, folks in Pakistan felt affinity with the BD Army.
If it is for the sake of Islam, then it has to start from where disparity started 60 years back. Apology is the minimum to start with.
Apology has been communicated at the highest level. Now its up to the BDs to look at the future for the betterment of the two peoples. Lets get the MFN status going, lets get the business cooperation up and running. Lets get people-people contacts going and you will see that the rest of the stuff will fall into place very nicely. The Pakistan of today has nothing but goodwill for BD and would like to see the same reciprocated by the BD side.
Otherwise, Bangladeshis will not bite the bait of ummah. Then any serious co-operation is a matter of convenience as is with any other country---Islamic or Secular. That is entirely a different scenario.
If you invoke Islam then do realize my point about where the responsibility lies. It does not lie with the Pakistani nation of the day or the government or the armed forces of Pakistan of the day. All that is being suggested here is cooperation (a term which means help/assistance/benefit to both sides).
