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Pakistan expresses concern over Nizami verdict
 [Dhaka Tribune] Pakistain has expressed deep concern and anguish after Bangladesh's top court upheld the death penalty for Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami...During the liberation war of 1971, Nizami formed the Al-Badr Force and acted as its supreme commander. The Al-Badr militia took active part in rape, extortion, looting and killing of Bangladeshis who supported the liberation, including a pre-planned massacre on December 14, 1971, when the Al-Badr militia along with Pakistan Army rounded up hundreds of doctors, professors, writers, and other Bengali intellectuals, and executed them... for war crimes. "We have noted with deep concern and anguish the dismissal of the review application on the death sentence, by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, for Mr Motiur Rahman Niazami the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami ... The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independentbranch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... ," Pakistain's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday. Nizami is the ameer of Jamaat which openly opposed Bangladesh's independence from Pakistain in 1971. He was involved in mass murders and rapes of Bangalis in Pabna and massacre of intellectuals in Dhaka. Pakistain, which had previously condemned sentencing of Jamaat leaders for war crimes, dubbed the trials "controversial." "There is a need for reconciliation in Bangladesh in accordance with the spirit of Tripartite Agreement of April 1974 which calls for a forward looking approach in matters relating to the events of 1971," the statement added. Nizami was the chief of Jamaat’s then students' wing Islami Chhatra Sangha, members of which formed al-Badr force to collaborate with the Pak Army to commit barbaric atrocities. The tribunal verdict said Nizami had civil superior responsibility in the commission of the offences as chief of both Chhatra Sangha and al-Badr in 1971. The review petition was the war criminal's last legal battle. Now, he will have the chance to seek presidential pardon. If he does not receive it or opts to not seek clemency, the government will carry out the death sentence. Posted by: Fred 2016-05-08 |
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