Pakistan's reaction proves Saluddin Quader, Mujahid were its political agents, says rights activist Asma Jahangir

Pakistan’s reaction over the execution of war criminals Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid only confirms that the two were its political agents, says Pakistani rights activist Asma Jahangir.

Speaking to the media on Monday, she criticised Islamabad’s demonstration of “disproportionately high passion” against the executions, reports Dawn.

The Pakistani government’s response conveyed the message that it had “extraordinary love and affection” for them, more than for its citizens, the Pakistani English daily reported.

After the executions in the early hours of Sunday, Islamabad said in a statement, “Pakistan is deeply disturbed at this development”.

Its foreign ministry spokesperson also labelled the executions “unfortunate”.

Dhaka has lodged ‘strong protest’ over the comments, summoning Pakistani High Commissioner Shuja Alam to the foreign ministry.

In a note verbale, handed to the envoy, Dhaka said that by its expressions of concern about the war criminals, Islamabad had “again acknowledged its direct involvement” in mass atrocities during the war by “openly taking the side” of the war criminals.

A founding member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Asma Jahangir came down hard saying Pakistan should first take up the issue of capital punishment through unfair trials in the country itself, and also the issue of those Pakistanis who were being consistently executed in Saudi Arabia.

“Equal passion, we hope, will be shown by the government for the people on death row in Pakistan than being hanged elsewhere in the world by denying due process,” Dawn quoted her saying.

Her father Malik Ghulam Jilani was a vice president of the then Awami League’s West Pakistan wing and had been imprisoned on several occasions, including for denouncing the Pakistani government in light of the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh.

Jilani was one of the 13 Pakistani nationals honoured by the Bangladesh government for their contributions.

In 2013, Asma Jahangir travelled to Bangladesh to receive the honour on behalf of her father from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Dawn report said that she claimed ‘due processes’ were not followed in the trials and the hanging would further deepen ‘political divide’ in Bangladesh.

“Pakistan should first take up the issue of capital punishment through unfair trials here and of those Pakistanis who were being consistently executed in Saudi Arabia and then show disproportionately high passion for the politicians of Bangladesh,” Dawn quoted Jahangir.

She said that the Pakistani government should explain whether they consider the two Bangladesh politicians more important than the people living in Pakistan.

“We are against the death penalty and unfair trials whether in Pakistan, Bangladesh or elsewhere.”