Tughlak E Al Mujahid || More than five decades have passed since 1971, yet the fate of the stranded Biharis remains one of the most glaring humanitarian failures in South Asia. Those who once placed their trust in Pakistan now stand as living evidence of betrayal—used when convenient, abandoned when no longer needed, and remembered only when politically expedient.
In the aftermath of the Bangladesh Liberation War, thousands of Urdu-speaking Biharis found themselves trapped in what became Bangladesh. Many had supported Pakistan during the conflict, believing that their loyalty would guarantee protection, citizenship, and eventual resettlement. Pakistan, for its part, made explicit promises: it would repatriate them, grant them citizenship, and ensure their dignity.
But history tells a very different story.
Decade after decade, millions of these people have been forced to live in overcrowded camps, deprived of basic rights and opportunities. The living conditions in many of these settlements remain dire—limited access to education, healthcare, and employment continues to define daily life. These are not temporary hardships; they are the consequences of prolonged neglect.
Pakistan’s commitments, once loudly proclaimed, gradually faded into silence. There was no urgency, no sustained policy effort, and no genuine sense of responsibility. Instead, Islamabad moved on, leaving behind a population suspended in uncertainty. What was promised as protection turned into abandonment; what was framed as solidarity became indifference.
Now, in 2026, as Bangladesh enters a new post-election phase, Pakistan has once again begun expressing moral concern over the issue of the stranded Biharis. But this sudden outcry raises an uncomfortable question: where was this concern for the past fifty years?
This is not humanitarianism—it is strategy.
Time and again, a familiar pattern emerges. Loyalty is mobilized when needed, allies are discarded when inconvenient, and their suffering is revived only when it serves a political purpose. The plight of the Biharis is being reframed not as a long-standing responsibility of Pakistan, but as a tool to question Bangladesh’s governance and exert diplomatic pressure on its current administration.
Such behavior undermines the very notion of moral accountability. A state cannot credibly claim to champion human rights while ignoring its own historical obligations. The crisis of the stranded Biharis did not emerge in a vacuum—it is deeply rooted in the political decisions and failures of Pakistan itself.
If Pakistan genuinely seeks to address this issue, it must begin by acknowledging its role, not deflecting it. Symbolic statements and selective outrage cannot replace concrete action. Repatriation, legal recognition, and meaningful rehabilitation should have been pursued decades ago. The continued delay only deepens the injustice.
The stranded Biharis deserve more than rhetoric. They deserve justice, dignity, and a resolution that has been denied to them for far too long.
Pakistan bears responsibility.
And history must not be rewritten to obscure that truth.
