NEW DELHI: India and Bangladesh today [April 17] offered Pakistan the repatriation of most of the 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war simultaneously with Pakistan’s repatriation of the stranded Bengalis there, as well as her acceptance of non-Bengalis from Bangladesh.

A joint declaration containing the offer was released today … here by the Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Dr Kamal Hossain. The declaration made no mention of Pakistan having first to recognise Dacca as a condition for the prisoners’ release.

But those prisoners which Bangladesh wants to try as war criminals are to be handed over to Dacca. In an announcement later in Dacca today, the Bangladesh Government said it will try 165 war prisoners. Observers in New Delhi said today’s Indo-Bangladesh declaration represented a shift in the Bangladesh stand that it could not even discuss the release of the Pakistani prisoners before recognition by Pakistan. In the declaration, Bangladesh reaffirmed, however, that it would not hold talks with Pakistan until President Z. A. Bhutto recognised the Dacca Government. Indian Foreign Minister Swaran Singh announced … that Bangladesh and India had a “common approach” on outstanding issues affecting … the Sub-continent. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2023