bdnews24.com :
Pakistan’s “absurd” demand for Tk 7 billion is a strategy to evade the payment of money it owes Bangladesh, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed has said.
A report published on Pakistani national daily Express Tribune on Tuesday said the country was about to ask Bangladesh to repay the money it claimed was due before Bangladesh seceded in 1971.
The present value of the outstanding amount stood at 9.21 billion Pakistani Rupees after asset valuation, according to the State Bank of Pakistan. While talking to reporters at the Secretariat, Tofail described the claim made by Pakistan as “absurd and baseless.”
“Pakistan has created this counter proposal to obstruct our demand for dues. Why would we owe them anything?”
“They oppressed us… killed three million of our people during the war. They owe us money, how can they demand money?” he asked. Earlier, the minister held a meeting with New Zealand High Commissioner to Dhaka, Grahame Morton. “Pakistan used to earn foreign currency by exporting goods, particularly jute produced in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), from mills such as Adamji. Pakistan bagged that money,” he said.
“The major part of their export earnings came from Bangladeshi products. So it is they who owe us money.”
The minister, however, did not mention when and how Bangladesh asked Pakistan to the pay dues.
Media reports published on different occasions have noted that Pakistan owes Bangladesh Tk 330 billion if calculated under present market value. The ruling Awami League demanded the due from Pakistan after being elected in 1996. The current ruling party presented the issue at international platforms after returning to power in 2009.
Pakistan’s “absurd” demand for Tk 7 billion is a strategy to evade the payment of money it owes Bangladesh, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed has said.
A report published on Pakistani national daily Express Tribune on Tuesday said the country was about to ask Bangladesh to repay the money it claimed was due before Bangladesh seceded in 1971.
The present value of the outstanding amount stood at 9.21 billion Pakistani Rupees after asset valuation, according to the State Bank of Pakistan. While talking to reporters at the Secretariat, Tofail described the claim made by Pakistan as “absurd and baseless.”
“Pakistan has created this counter proposal to obstruct our demand for dues. Why would we owe them anything?”
“They oppressed us… killed three million of our people during the war. They owe us money, how can they demand money?” he asked. Earlier, the minister held a meeting with New Zealand High Commissioner to Dhaka, Grahame Morton. “Pakistan used to earn foreign currency by exporting goods, particularly jute produced in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), from mills such as Adamji. Pakistan bagged that money,” he said.
“The major part of their export earnings came from Bangladeshi products. So it is they who owe us money.”
The minister, however, did not mention when and how Bangladesh asked Pakistan to the pay dues.
Media reports published on different occasions have noted that Pakistan owes Bangladesh Tk 330 billion if calculated under present market value. The ruling Awami League demanded the due from Pakistan after being elected in 1996. The current ruling party presented the issue at international platforms after returning to power in 2009.
