Quader Molla was “innocent”: Imran Khan

Abdul Quader Molla was “innocent” and charges against him were “false”, Pakistani politician Imran Khan has claimed, days after the Jamaat-e-Islami leader was executed for his war crimes.

Pakistan’s newspaper ‘the Express Tribune’ quoting ‘Radio Pakistan’ ran the report.

It said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party’s Chairman claimed a lawyer of the international human rights organisation Reprieve, who was defending Molla, told him that he was innocent and “had nothing to do with the charges against him”.

The former Pakistan cricket captain’s comment at the National Assembly came on Monday, days after the Pakistan Jamaat-i-Islami’s protest that Molla was hanged to death because “he was loyal to Pakistan and supported Pakistan army during the 1971 war”.

Molla was executed on Thursday night at 10.01pm for his crimes against humanity including mass murder during the 1971 war of independence.

Jamaat wholeheartedly sided with Pakistan's occupation army during the war and its activists were involved in mindless atrocities.

Pakistan interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also expressed “deep grief” and concern over his execution.

Newspaper ‘Dawn’ earlier reported that the minister in a statement said: “Till the very end before creation of Bangladesh, he (Molla) remained a supporter of a united Pakistan and today every Pakistani is saddened and grieved by his death”.

The Express Tribune, however, reported that Pakistan National Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution expressing concern over the hanging of Molla for his “loyalty to Pakistan”.

The resolution was moved by Sher Akbar Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami. The resolution also expresses condolences with Bangladesh and the family of Molla.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Bangladesh chapter and Molla’s defence have been claimed that Quader Molla and ‘Koshai’ Quader or ‘Butcher’ Quader were not the same person.

But the protests and condolences by Pakistani politicians have all but scotched the contention.