Pakistan denies war atrocities in 1971

Star Online Report

Pakistan today summoned the acting high commissioner of Bangladesh and denied committing any war crime or atrocities during the 1971 war of independence.
It also rejected as ‘baseless and unfounded assertions’ of Bangladesh against Pakistan.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” A Pakistan Foreign Ministry press release said.
“It is regrettable that attempts have been made by the Government of Bangladesh to malign Pakistan, despite our ardent desire to develop brotherly relations with Bangladesh. Pakistan believes that the peoples of both countries not only want to maintain but also further strengthen the bonds of friendship and brotherhood. However, sadly, the Government of Bangladesh does not seem to respect these sentiments.”
Pakistan said the 1974 tripartite agreement is the bedrock of relations between the two countries.
“As regards the Bangladesh Government's contention that Pakistan presents a misleading interpretation of the Agreement of 1974, it needs to be emphasized that, as part of the Agreement, the Government of Bangladesh had "decided not to proceed with the trials as an act of clemency."
“Pakistan reiterates its desire for further enhancing relations with Bangladesh, because we believe that the hearts of the people of Pakistan beat in unison with the people of Bangladesh. It is important for the two countries not to forget the role played by their people in the struggle for the establishment of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the South Asian sub-continent, the release further read.

“It is, therefore, imperative to move forward in the spirit of goodwill, friendship and harmony for the collective good of the peoples of Pakistan and Bangladesh,” the statement added.

Bangladesh executes opposition chiefs

BBC Nws 

Two Bangladesh opposition leaders have been executed for war crimes committed during the 1971 independence struggle against Pakistan.

Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid were hanged in Dhaka's central jail.
They were convicted of genocide and rape - charges they denied.
Chowdhury has been an influential politician - he was elected MP six times. Mujahid was a top leader of Bangladesh's largest Islamist party.
They were hanged after President Abdul Hamid rejected appeals for clemency by the two men, the home minister said.
The Supreme Court upheld their sentences earlier this month.
Chowdhury was the most senior leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party to be sentenced for crimes against humanity.
Two years ago, a special war crimes tribunal found him guilty of nine out of 23 charges including genocide, arson and persecuting people on religious and political grounds.
Mujahid was the secretary-general of Jamaat-e-Islami. He was sentenced to death in July 2013.
He was accused of responsibility for the killings of a number of pro-independence Bangladeshi leaders and intellectuals.

The tribunal found him guilty of five charges, including abduction and murder.

SQ Chy didn’t seek mercy, son tells after meeting father

Hummam Quader Chowdhury enters Dhaka Central Jail this morning to meet his father, war criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury. Photo: Star

Star Online Report

War criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury did not seek presidential clemency, claimed his son Hummam Quader.
SQ Chowdhury denied filing any mercy plea, Hummam Quader told reporters after coming out. “He (SQ Chowdhury) said: ‘Who says such rubbish? I didn’t seek any mercy.’”
Eighteen members of SQ Chowdhury’s family, including his wife Farhat Quader and two sons Fazlul Quader and Hummam Quader, went inside and stayed for over an hour.