Siraj asks govt to take up BD rights violation issue at world level

Terms dismissal of Mutiur Rahman’s appeal by BD SC travesty of justice

ISLAMABAD: Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JI) Senator Sirajul Haq said that trial of prominent political leader and a former Bangladesh Minister Maulana Mutiur Rahman Nizami for so-called war crimes and dismissal of his appeal by the BD Supreme Court were a travesty of justice and against all moral and legal norms.

Talking to media outside the Parliament House on Tuesday, he called upon the Pakistan government to take up the issue of human rights violations and victimisation of political opponents with the UN, friendly and brother Muslim countries to get them stopped. He said that parliamentary delegations should be sent to different countries to apprise them of this issue.

Sirajul Haq pointed out that human rights bodies had questioned the validity of the BD war crimes law and the so-called tribunal but the proceedings were continued.

He said the courts which tried Maulana Nizami and 21 others had in its decisions, mentioned of Pakistan hundreds of times and leveled false and baseless allegations. He said this was tantamount to direct threat to this country. Besides, he said, these trials were clear violation of the tripartite agreement between Pakistan, Bangladesh and India made in April 1974.

The JI chief said it was a paradox that the people of Bangladesh had voted Maulana Nizami and others to the BD Parliament thus pronouncing him and his colleagues as patriots and expressing full confidence in them.

He disclosed that the BD government intended to try hundreds of other BD nationals for war crimes next month.

Sirajul Haq maintained the JI desired close fraternal relations with Dhaka but added the policies of pro-India regime in Dhaka were spoiling ties with this country besides creating bad blood between the Muslim countries.

He said he had already met the ambassadors of different countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Qatar, Germany, Spain and requested them to play their role in stopping these so-called war crimes trials in Bangladesh. “The envoys were of the view that the Pakistan government should take the lead in this regard,” he said.

Sirajul Haq said he had also called on the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Ch, Nisar Ali Khan, Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaz Aziz and other high officials to convey his concern in this regard.

The JI chief also met Leader of the Opposition Syed Khurshed Shah and Federal Ministers Pervaiz Rashid, Khawaja Asif and Mehmud Khan Achakzai and impressed upon them to take up this important issue with the relevant quarters.