​Pakistan ‘deeply disturbed’ over Bangladesh’s war criminals execution

Pakistan has noted with “deep concern and anguish” the executions of war criminals Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 Nov 2015, 01:55 PM
Updated : 22 Nov 2015, 06:10 PM

“Pakistan is deeply disturbed at this development,” Islamabad said in a statement on Sunday.
 
Its foreign ministry spokesperson also labelled the executions “unfortunate”.

Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan after a nine-month bloody war in 1971.

The Jamaat-e-Islami, of which Mujahid was a secretary general, sided with Pakistan during the war.

Former Al-Badr commander Mujahid was sentenced to death in 2013 for the murder of intellectuals and killing of Hindus during the Liberation War.

Salauddin Quader was handed the death penalty for the killing of Hindus and Awami League supporters in 1971.

Chowdhury, during the review of his death sentence, filed a petition last month for deposition by five Pakistani nationals in order to drive home his point that he was in Pakistan during the war.

The two war criminals were hanged in the early hours of Sunday.

Pakistan said the trials were “flawed”.

“As emphasised earlier, we have also been noting the reaction of the international community on the flawed trials in Bangladesh related to the events of 1971.

“There is a need for reconciliation in Bangladesh in accordance with the spirit of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh Agreement of 9th April 1974.

“The Agreement calls for a forward looking approach in matters relating to 1971. This would foster goodwill and harmony,” the spokesperson said, in the statement.

Pakistan earlier opposed the execution of Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Molla.

Its parliament adopted a resolution saying Molla was hanged to death because “he was loyal to Pakistan and supported the Pakistan army during the 1971 war”.

Following this, the Pakistan High Commissioner in Dhaka had been summoned in 2013 by Bangladesh’s foreign ministry.