The Dhaka Times Desk The country's human rights activist lawyer Asma Jahangir has severely criticized the Pakistan government's 'duplicitous' behavior regarding the execution of two war criminals in Bangladesh.
Pakistan's English daily Dawn wrote, "The government only proved through this behavior that those who were hanged in Bangladesh were actually political stooges, they were working for the interests of Pakistan." This human rights activist Asma Jahangir expressed this opinion in front of the journalists in the Islamabad High Court yesterday (Monday).
His reaction came in the wake of Pakistan's Foreign Office statement expressing 'concern and pain' over the execution of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid in Dhaka for 1971 war crimes.
In a statement last Sunday, the spokesperson of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said that "We have observed with deep concern and pain the unfortunate execution of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mujahid." Calling the 1971 war crimes trials 'flawed', the 'international community's response' is also discussed.
After that, Pakistan's High Commissioner was summoned to Dhaka and strongly protested on behalf of Bangladesh. According to the protest letter, Pakistan once again admitted its direct involvement and cooperation in the massacres that took place during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971 by publicly standing in favor of those convicted of crimes against humanity and genocide.
Asma Jahangir, the first female president of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, criticized her country's government, saying, "It is natural to think that Islamabad's behavior has 'more love' for members of the opposition in Bangladesh than for its own citizens."
Asma further said, 'Government is not seen to be 'so recalcitrant' when someone is hanged unjustly in a military court in Pakistan or in Saudi Arabia, as it was in the case of two politicians from the opposition party in Bangladesh.'
He said, "We hope that we will see equal demand in those areas in the government."
To be noted, Asma Jahangir's father Malik Ghulam Jilani was the vice-president of West Pakistan Awami League. After Bangabandhu's arrest on March 25, 1971, he had to serve imprisonment for writing an open letter to General Yahya demanding his release.
In 2013, Bangladesh honored 13 Pakistanis who risked their lives to stand up for the oppressed Bengalis. Lawyer Asma Ahangir came to Dhaka on March 24 that year and received the honor from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on behalf of her father.
Asma herself believes that 'due process was not followed' in the trial of Saka Chowdhury and Mujahid, Dawn also wrote. He fears that the executions will actually 'further political divisions' in Bangladesh.
Asma Jahangir also said, "Pakistan government should first talk about hanging in its own country and in Saudi Arabia in an unfair trial." Then let them talk about the politicians of Bangladesh.'
This human rights activist Asma Jahangir also asked for clarification on the question whether those two Bangladeshi politicians are more important to the government than the living citizens of Pakistan.
Asma Jahangir said, 'We are always against death penalty as punishment and any kind of unfair trial - be it in Pakistan, Bangladesh or anywhere else.'
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