Pakistan to move UN on hanging of war criminals

Pakistan Prime minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz today said the country will raise the issue of the hanging of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders in Bangladesh at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and with other countries.

Speaking in the Senate, he regretted the executions of political opponents by the Bangladesh government, saying that the Muslim world and the international community had both expressed their concerns in this regard, reports Radio Pakistan.

Aziz urged the international community to take notice of the hangings, which are a violation of human rights and the tripartite agreement between Pakistan, India and Bangladesh in 1974.

Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq said that Muslim countries should jointly prepare a plan to prevent further politically-motivated executions in Bangladesh.

Earlier, House members appreciated Turkey for withdrawing its envoy from Bangladesh and said that Pakistan should also adopt a strong stance on the matter.

On May 12, Bangladesh has handed Pakistan a protest note in response to the condemnation Islamabad handed Dhaka yesterday over the execution of top war criminal Motiur Rahman Nizami.

Last week, Pakistan voiced concern over the imminent hanging of a top war criminal in Bangladesh and the ex-chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Nizami. In response, Bangladesh told Pakistan to stop meddling in its internal affairs.

After his execution, Pakistan’s parliament on May 11 passed a unanimous resolution in condemnation of the execution. The resolution was handed over to Bangladesh’s acting high commissioner to Islamabad, Nazmul Huda.

In a response Shuja Alam, Pakistan envoy in Dhaka, was handed a strongly worded protest, by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.