Pakistan-born Swedish judge’s BD citizenship is reward for 1971 role
City Desk :
Muktijoddha Maitri Awardee Pakistani origin Swedish judge Syed Asif Shahkar’s Bangladesh citizenship attainment is a reward for his contribution to the country’s 1971 Liberation War, said Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque.
“Asif Shahkar deserves it. It was our responsibility too to fulfill his dream to be a Bangladesh citizen.
Bangladesh perfectly rewarded its 1971 friend by fulfilling his wish,” Mozammel told BSS.
He added: “I think Shahkar is also a freedom fighter.
Our prime minister properly honored a true supporter of our Liberation War.
We also expressed our gratitude to those from all over the world including Pakistani-origins who had worked in favour of our war in different ways.”
Through this recognition, Pakistani commoners now will be able to properly know the massacre and genocide carried out by Pakistani occupational forces on the unarmed Bangalees during the Liberation War and took stance in favor of Bangladesh, he hoped.
Abul Kalam Azad, an eminent journalist and Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), said when Pakistani oppressors were carrying out brutality and massacre on innocent Bangalees in 1971, Pakistan-origin Syed Asif took his stand in favor of Bangladesh.
“It is a unique example of Asif’s humanitarian qualities.
I think the citizenship provided by a pro-Liberation war government to a true supporter of our Liberation War is a perfect reward to him,” Azad said.
National news agency BSS was first to uphold Asif’s appeal and wish to be a citizen of Bangladesh by publishing a news and subsequently Liberation War based organization ‘Amra Ekattor’ applied to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Foreign Affairs Ministry on behalf of Asif.
Later, valiant freedom fighter Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Quazi Sazzad Ali Zahir, Bir Pratik, spearheaded the entire process to provide citizenship to Asif.
Talking to BSS, Zahir said Asif Shahkar is a courageous man of the time with a great soul.
Very few of West Pakistanis took stance against genocide carried out by Pakistani army on unarmed Bangalees during the great Liberation War and Syed Asif Shahkar is one of them.
