The Jeddah-based Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) held an event to mark the 74th anniversary of the Pakistan resolution adopted in March 1940 in Lahore. The event was presided over by Hilal-e-Pakistan recipient and former Muslim World League chief Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef. Former diplomat Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi was the chief guest and Saeed Al-Farha was the guest of honor.
Naseef said Pakistan is an important member of the Muslim world, which is facing more issues with the passage of time, and so it is very important to work with unity and strategy and try to solve the issues. He said that Rabita Trust was established in July 1988 with, as signatory, late President Zia-ul Haq and former general secretary (Naseef) and mandate of repatriation and rehabilitation of Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh. Some work was done by Nawaz Sharif during his tenures in 1993 and 1997. However, it was frozen in 2001 by Pervez Musharraf and all the work stopped.
He said that he is in touch with the present government and hoped that Nawaz Sharif will reactivate the repatriation work. He praised Punjab government for allocating land for building housing units for rehabilitation of repatriated Pakistanis there. If the Rabita Trust reactivation was not possible then Pakistan can establish a commission to organize the repatriation work and in this OIC and MWL should be able to extend support.
Al-Ghamdi said that every Muslim should pray for Pakistan which gives strength to the Ummah. Pakistan was established after great sacrifices of Muslims of the sub-continent. In the 1947 migration from India those who migrated to East Pakistan are still languishing in camps due to creation of Bangladesh in 1971.
He said it is the primary responsibility of Pakistan to pursue action to settle them and in this Bangladesh should also play active role and if some percentage of stranded Pakistanis could settle then Bangladesh should facilitate their settlement with dignity and humanity. Pakistan should approach OIC, MWL to overcome difficulties in solving the issue. He praised the proposal made by PRC in arranging “repatriation and rehabilitation on self-finance basis.”
Saeed Al-Farha, former director, International Civil Aviation Organization, said he has full confidence that Pakistan will soon recover from all crisis under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. He urged the prime minister to take sincere measures to solve the issue of stranded Pakistanis. He also reminded Pakistanis to learn Arabic.
While thanking the guests, PRC convener, Syed Ehsanul Haque praised Dr. Naseef for supporting the cause which, he said, could be solved during the present regime of Nawaz Sharif.
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