The Urdu-speakers of Bangladesh 121 province of Pakistan who insisted that members of the group be admitted from Bangladesh, and from the Bangladeshi government who conditioned the establishment of diplomatic relations on resolution of the humanitarian situation.22 The parties agreed to the simultaneous repatriation of all Bengalis in Pakistan and all Pakistanis in Bangladesh.23 In particular: the Government of Pakistan, guided by considerations of humanity, agrees, initially, to receive a substantial number of such non-Bengalis from Bangladesh. It is further agreed that the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Pakistan or their designated representatives will thereafter meet to decide what additional number of persons who may wish to migrate to Pakistan may be permitted to do so.24 Copyright © 2011. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. The New Delhi Agreement provided that India would work out a time schedule for the completion of repatriation in consultation with Pakistan and Bangladesh. Pakistan, India and Bangladesh further stated that in carrying out logistical arrangements for repatriation of individuals from and to their respective countries, they ‘may seek the assistance of international humanitarian organizations and others’.25 They were ‘confident that the completion of repatriation . . . would make a signal contribution to the promotion of reconciliation in the sub-continent’.26 On 19 September 1973, three weeks after the New Delhi Agreement was signed, repatriation processes commenced.27 In February 1974, Pakistan recognized Bangladesh as a sovereign state. In the April 1974 Tripartite Agreement between Bangladesh, Pakistan and India, the three governments reviewed progress and made new commitments regarding repatriation. Regarding ‘non-Bengalis in Bangladesh’: the Pakistan side stated that the Government of Pakistan had already issued clearances for movement of Pakistanis in favor of those non-Bengalis who were either domiciled in former West Pakistan, were employees of the Central Government and their families or were members of the divided families, irrespective of their original domicile. The issuance of clearances to 25,000 persons who constitute hardship cases were also in progress. The Pakistan side reiterated that all those who fall under the first three categories would be received by Pakistan without any limit to numbers. With respect to persons whose applications had been rejected, the government of Pakistan would, upon request, provide reasons why any particular case was rejected. Any aggrieved applicant could at any time seek a review of his application provided he was able to supply new facts or further information. The claims of such persons would not be time-barred. In the event of the decision of review of a case being adverse, the governments of Pakistan and Bangladesh might seek to resolve it by mutual consultation.28 Statelessness Citizenship121 : A Comparative Study on the Benefits of Nationality, edited by Brad K. Blitz, and Maureen Lynch, M2482 - BLITZand PRINT.indd 21/12/2010 11:56 Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/bham/detail.action?docID=655534. Created from bham on 2023-11-30 09:57:20.