Musharraf again rues 'awful' Bangla blunder Dhaka: In a bid to develop cordial relationship with the Khaleda Zia government in Bangladesh, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has regretted for the second time in six months the excesses committed by the country's Army men during the 1971 war of liberation, terming it as "unfortunate and a political blunder".

Musharraf expressed his regret when the outgoing Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan, Alimul Haq, made a farewell call on him recently in Islamabad, Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Musharraf, who had earlier regretted the 1971 atrocities during his visit to Bangladesh in July 2002, not only reiterated "his regret about the military crackdown in 1971", but also described it as "traumatic, unfortunate, a political blunder and myopic vision on the part of the West Pakistan leaders," official BSS news agency said quoting the statement.

The Pakistan President also expressed satisfaction at the warm and cordial ties between the two countries, BSS said.

The four-party government in Bangladesh also has elements known to be friendly with Pakistan and want to develop ties with it, spoilt during tenure of previous Awami League regime.

Musharraf, who was annoyed by remarks of former premier Sheikh Hasina made at UN General Assembly in 2000 asking countries not to endorse rulers came through military coup, is trying to improve relations with Dhaka by admitting some crimes committed by his compatriots in 1971, observers said.

According to the Bangladesh government account, nearly three million people were killed and two hundred thousand women were dishonoured by Pakistan occupation forces and their local lackeys during the nine-month-long war of liberation in which India played a crucial role.

PTI