Shimla pact no bar to trying war criminals: Shafique
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said Saturday the Bangladesh-India-Pakistan Shimla agreement signed in 1974 is no bar to trying the war criminals of Bangladesh. Responding to reporters' questions after attending a function of History Academy, he said under the Shimla treaty 195 prisoners of war of Pakistan had been released.
"It (agreement) has no relevance to the holding of trial of the Bangladeshi citizens who had committed offences against humanity like killing, looting, arson and repression of women in 1971," said the law minister.
Shafique observed the Pakistan high commissioner in Dhaka violated the diplomatic norms by interfering into Bangladesh's internal affairs.On Thursday, newly appointed Pakistan High Commissioner Ashraf Qureshi said the issue of war criminals between Dhaka and Islamabad had been resolved in the year 1974 through signing a tripartite agreement among Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.
After meeting with Foreign Minister Dipu Moni at her office, the Pakistani diplomat said Islamabad maintains its earlier stand on the issue of war criminals. However, he said the war crime trial issue is absolutely Bangladesh's internal matter and he didn't want to comment on it.
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