Pakistan violates Shimla Agreement: Menon

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon on Monday said Pakistan has violated the tri-party Simla Agreement as they did not hold trial of some 195 Pakistani army officers for committing war crimes in 1971.

"Under the agreement, Pakistan assured trial of some 195 army war criminal officials but Islamabad didn`t try them," he said while addressing a discussion on "Martyred Intellectuals Day" at Sagar-Runi auditorium at Dhaka Reporters Unit (DRU) in the city.

The minister said the Pakistan has resorted to falsehood on the issue of war crimes trial as the country is accusing Bangladesh of violating the Shimla agreement by conducting the trial.

He said Bangladesh had formed 12 tribunals at 1973 under the agreement to try the war criminals. But the initiatives had remained stopped after the killing of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he added.

Among others, Waresat Hossain Belal MP spoke on the occasion with DRU President Jamal Uddin in the chair.