Khaleej Times: March 5, 1999

Sharif says Biharis not Pak nationals

From our correspondent

DHAKA - Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif refused to accept the stranded Biharis in Bangladesh as Pakistani nationals but said his government has been trying to rehabilitate them in Pakistan on humanitarian considerations.

Mr Sharif, who returned to Pakistan on Thursday after participating in the D-8 summit, said in an interview published on Thursday that he had been dealing with the Bihari issue since 1990 and it was not a new subject "as far as we are concerned". The prime minister said Pakistan had been able to take some of the stranded people back but there has been resistance along ethnic lines, particularly in Sindh, the home province of Benazir Bhutto. "Pakistan has never accepted them (stranded Biharis) as Pakistanis but on humanitarian grounds we are taking them. In 1991, when I was prime minister, I made efforts to take them. There had been resistance, particularly in Sindh," he said.

"We had 1,000 homes constructed in Mianchannu in Punjab and 900 families were accommodated there. Sixty-three families have been taken to Pakistan," Mr Sharif said. There are about 235,000 stranded Pakistanis, locally known as Biharis, in Bangladesh residing in over 66 camps. Mr Sharif said: "Our efforts are now directed at raising funds and a request has been made to the Makkah-based Rabeta Al Alam Al Islami."

Meanwhile, 15 stranded Pakistanis, who were arrested for attempting to commit suicide by pouring petrol on their bodies and setting themselves on fire in front of Hotel Sheraton, the venue of D-summit, on Tuesday, were placed on a seven-day remand on Wednesday.

Speaking on Pakistan-India relations, Mr Sharif said: "I think the ice has started melting. The recent visit of the Indian prime minister to Pakistan has been useful. We had been able to discuss all issues concerning our bilateral relations, including Kashmir."

The issue of a command and control structure to ensure nuclear safety was also discussed, he said. "During our recent talks, my Indian counterpart expressed his desire to find a solution to the Kashmir problem," Mr Sharif said. "Once we are able to resolve this dispute we will have little problems to establish peace and security in the region," the Pakistani leader said.

The Lahore talks, he said, have laid the foundation for future discussions between us on taking up confidence building measures and for discussions on other bilateral matters and the Kashmir issue. The talks will lead to a resumption of secretary-level meetings.

Mr Sharif emphasised: "Kashmir is the core issue of conflict between our two countries. The issue must be resolved to ease tension and restore normalcy."

When told that his critics had accused him of concentrating power in his hands and of being a "democratic autocrat", Mr Sharif said: "If anyone has less power, it is the prime minister of Pakistan."

Without naming anyone, Mr Sharif said his critics should look at their own faces in the mirror and remember that it was they who had abused power while in office. Regarding terrorism in Karachi, the Pakistan prime minister said the actions taken by his government had brought peace in Karachi and the people of the city now felt more secure.