1----Pakistani protesters wearing shrouds hold gasoline bottles during a protest in Dhaka March 23, 2006. Stranded Pakistanis, known as Biharis as their forefathers migrated to former East Pakistan (Bangladesh) from India’s Bihar state after 1947 India partition, held the protest on Thursday and threatened self immolation, unless a senior government official hears their demand for repatriation to Pakistan by Thursday midnight. Some 300,000 of Biharis have been stranded in Bangladesh, since the country became independent in 1971. REUTERS/Mohammad Shahidullah
Reuters - Mar 23
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2,3----Urdu-speaking Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh sit in during a mass hunger strike at their refugee camp in Mohammadpur, Dhaka February 23, 2006. Bangladesh has been home to some 300,000 refugees since 1971 when East Pakistan split from the West to become Bangladesh. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
I think they should be given bangladeshi citizenship and now they should consider themselves as bengalis.But it is not as easy as it looks.The bengalis know that biharis helped the army in 1971 and secondly would they consider them patriotic bengalis or traitors who helped the west pakistanis.I dont think they have forgotten what happened in 71.The red disc in their flag symbolises the blood of those who lost their lives in the creation of bangladesh.
It is not about having another 300000 because if we can have 3 million afghans ten times their population why cant we have these biharis who call themselves pakistanis.
The nationalist parties in sindh oppose their repatriation because they dont want aliens in their province.So they can be settled in some other province.
But I think they eventually will have to take bengali citizenship which is the only logical solution to this problem.
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
^ Ideal thing to do will be to settle them in pakistan cuz they remained loyal to pak army in '71 but as mentioned above it will create more problems than it will solve ......very sad situation........most of these people were from religious muslim parties yet they cannot find a place in pak....
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
These people are Pakistanis who fought for Pakistan in 1971. These Pakistanis are abondoned by their country, Pakistan. It's a shame. Pakistan has been a home to 100 of thousands of Afghans who brought nothing but drugs, AKs, and god knows what else to Pakistan and here these patriots who are rotting in Bangladesh.
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
Let's be realistic, and not dreamy and idealistic about this situation.
They will not be accepted in Pakistan,would cost billions to take care of, and will cause a huge burden on any areas they are placed in.
Pakistan's history is full of betrayals and backstabbings. Do you want a country that's honest to its citizen and patriots OR do you want a country that moves hither & tither depending on the direction of the wind sacrificing its principles and patriots?
If you want to be realistic, get rid of the millions of Afghan refugees who have harmed Pakistan ever since their arrival. Replace the 3 million Afghans with a tenth of the stranded Pakistans in Bangla. The economic burden argument is a strawman.
Get the stranded Pakisanis back to Pakistan. They are patriots and they are pakistanis. For once, Pakistan should do the right thing.
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
If you want to be realistic, get rid of the millions of Afghan refugees who have harmed Pakistan ever since their arrival. Replace the 3 million Afghans with a tenth of the stranded Pakistans in Bangla.
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
It's as realistic as your courage and will to make it so.
Reality is that Pakistan is a country of extremely feeble minded and feeble hearted citizens. Illegals Afghans immigrants terrorize Pakistanis for 2 decades, Pakistanis are happy with that. God forbid these Pakistanis impose their collective will on their circumstances and get rid of these illegal Afghans and bring back rightful citizens stranded in Pakistan.
You can argue about semantics till you are blue in the face and cows come home. Fact is Pakistanis lack courage and will to do the right thing and bring the stranded Pakistanis back home.
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
Its pathetic to say the least that these people are still living in no-life/low-life camps. Pakistani governments have been "army" govts for the most part after 1971 and they didn't have balls to repatriate these stranded ones so what would one expect if God forbid we were democratic. I think these Bihari Pakistanis should realize by now that their chances of flying out of those camps are next to none so improve their own living where they are and try to move on.
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
Pakistan have more bengalis afghans and other people then these stranded biharis, i fail to see why we discard request of biharis who remained loyal to pakistan in 1971 and persist with afghans who have created problems for us.
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
They were being repatriated to Punjab by nawaz but it was stopped when musharraf came to power.
Another concern I and others have is that they (biharis) always end up in sindh mostly karachi and create trouble for the whole province.
Why can't they be divided among all provinces for instance?
They can come to balochistan as well if they learn the culture over there...
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
These fears and prejudices have kept those patriots stranded in the enemy land -- country they fought AGAINST for "your" Pakistan.
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Why can't they be divided among all provinces for instance?
They can come to balochistan as well if they learn the culture over there...
[/quote]
In a few years, with the continuing onslaught of Bollywood & Hollywood cultures on Pakistani "hearts and minds", the only people with ANY real culture left would be these stranded Pakistanis in the slums of Bangla. And, please don't think that your veiled racism towards 'mohajirs' has gone unnoticed.
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
Given that they fought for Pakistan and were promised to be brought back to West Pakistan, they have every right to return to Pakistan and be a part of it.
It's sickening to see them living on streets below poverty in Bangladesh when they deserve better.
Anyway, are there any realistic chances of them returning to Pakistan, or were they merely used as pawns during the last war who have long been abandoned now?
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
In a few years, with the continuing onslaught of Bollywood & Hollywood cultures on Pakistani "hearts and minds", the only people with ANY real culture left would be these stranded Pakistanis in the slums of Bangla. And, please don't think that your veiled racism towards 'mohajirs' has gone unnoticed.
Whatever you want to call it, Karachi cannot take another sudden influx of 300,000 people! Not 'racism', simple fact.
The Afghan's cause much trouble, agreed, but they cannot be kicked out, it is not possible
As for the Biharis they didn't fight for Pakistan, the Army did and failed.They are simply 'Pakistani's' who were in Bangladesh. Pakistan treats its own people (ie.currently in Balochistan) worse than these biharis are being treated in Bangladesh.
Re: Biharis(Stranded Pakistanis)Protest again on 23rd March
What's possible in life? You sense of possibilities in life is disappointingly small.
You call it being "realistic"; I call it an act of cowardice.
[quote]
As for the Biharis they didn't fight for Pakistan, the Army did and failed.They are simply 'Pakistani's' who were in Bangladesh. Pakistan treats its own people (ie.currently in Balochistan) worse than these biharis are being treated in Bangladesh.
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What Pakistan needs is a show of respect for its citizen. It starts with honoring the loyalties of these stranded Pakistanis and bringing them back to Pakistan. Once Pakistanis have learned this lesson (and it's high time they learnt it don't you think?), they should start treating balochs and whomever else with same dignity and respect. Let the re-patriotion of the stranded Pakistanis be a cathartic experience that revives the spirit of patriotism amongst Pakistanis.
Pakistanis will either learn to honor loyalties and respect its citizenry or simply become a failed nation in the history of many. You can do the easy & "realistic" thing or you can DO THE RIGHT thing. Take your pick.