Here's why Pakistani journalist wants to return his father's award from Bangladesh
Mir's announcement coincided with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) calling off a tour of Bangladesh scheduled for July and August.
Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir has announced that he will return the award Bangladesh bestowed on his father for his contribution during the 1971 Liberation War.
Hamid Mir during his show 'Capital Talk' said Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was bent on deteriorating relations with Pakistan.
"Instead of improving relations, as promised to us, she has deteriorated them further. With these awards she has deceived us," he said.
"I am left with no choice but to say that I think, along with kind regards, we should all return these symbols of deceit (the awards) back to (PM) Hasina. I, for one, will definitely be doing so," he said.
Mir's announcement coincided with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) calling off a tour of Bangladesh scheduled for July and August.
Hamid had received the award in 2013 conferred on his father Waris Mir for opposing military operation by Pakistan Army in 1971 which led to separation of the then East Pakistan to emerge as an independent Bangladesh.
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid conferred "Foreign Friends of Bangladesh Award" on five selected Pakistanis at a ceremony in Dhaka in 2013.
The recipients of awards from Pakistan were mainly those whose fathers had opposed Army action in the then East Pakistan. Those who were given away gold-plated silver metallic plaques, bearing replica of the National Memorial of Bangladesh and a citation on silk cloth, include Saleema Hashmi, the daughter of renowned poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz; Asma Jahangir, the daughter of Malik Ghulam Jilani; Hamid Mir, the son of Prof Waris Mir; Hasil Bux Bizenjo, the son of Ghaus Bux Bizenjo and the daughter of Habib Jalib.
Bangladesh's relations with Pakistan started to get frosty further last year when Pakistan broke diplomatic protocol and reacted to the execution of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders who had committed war crimes in 1971.
Bangladesh boycotted the 19th SAARC summit held in Islamabad in protest.
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