Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf pays his first visit to Bangladesh on Monday amid calls for Pakistan to apologise for alleged atrocities committed during Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence. General Musharraf will be leading a 30-member delegation to discuss bilateral trade, but negotiations could well be sidelined.

Some Bangladeshi politicians have demanded that Islamabad pay compensation to victims of the war, while the status of stateless Muslims in the country who claim Pakistani citizenship is also on the agenda.

It is a highly symbolic occasion for General Musharraf and his hosts.

The president was beginning his career in the army as Bangladesh struggled for independence from Pakistan in 1971

SIX DEAD & NINE POLICE INJURED IN SHOOT OUT IN PAKISTAN

As Musharraf arrived in Bangladesh, six men were killed and nine policemen injured when a police convoy carrying suspects linked to a deadly church attack came under fire in eastern Pakistan, police and medical sources said.

The convoy was carrying four men suspected of carrying out the massacre last October of 16 Christians and a Muslim at a church in Bahawalpur.

They were being taken to arms and ammunition they said they had hidden in nearby Khairpur Tamewali when four gunmen, apparently linked to the suspects, began firing at the police vehicles near Bahawalpur. The suspects were killed in the crossfire, police said.

Police sub-inspector Mohammad Arshad, who witnessed the early afternoon attack, said two of the four gunmen also died in the ensuing battle. The other two escaped, he said by telephone from hospital in Khairpur Tamewali.

Atta Mohammad, a doctor at the hospital, said nine policemen were injured and were being taken to a larger medical facility at Bahawalpur.

The four suspects had been paraded before the media earlier this week after they were caught by police.

PHOTO CAPTION

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf arrives on historic visit to Bangladesh.