Jamaat 'internal matter' of Bangladesh: Pakistan - bdnews24.com
Jamaat 'internal matter' of Bangladesh: Pakistan
News Desk, bdnews24.com
Published:July 20 2013 11:42 BDT Updated:July 20 2013 05:36 BDT
Pakistan has washed its hands off the men who fought and committed atrocities to protect it in 1971.
The Pakistan Foreign Office said on Friday that the punishment meted out to Jamaat-e-Islami leaders in Bangladesh was "strictly its internal matter."
But the Foreign Office spokesman refused to elaborate.
He dwelt at length on issues of bilateral ties with India, on the Kashmir issue, about US drone strikes and much else -- but not one word about the war crimes trials which relates to atrocities perpetrated by Pakistani troops and their local collaborators.
Pakistan has never formally tendered an official apology for the mass murders and rapes its troops were involved in during the 1971 Liberation War -- though some public figures in Pakistan including cricketer-politician Imran Khan have said that was necessary to set the record straight.
Bangladesh says nearly three million people were killed and nearly half a million women raped during the 1971 Liberation War.
The Jamaat-e-Islami supported the cause of 'united Pakistan' in 1971 and opposed the Bengali liberation struggle.
Its local leaders and activists joined vigilante auxiliary support forces created by the Pakistani military junta.
These forces -- Razakars, Al-Badr, Al-Shams -- perpetrated some of the horrible atrocities during the 1971 war.
Top Jamaat leaders have been sentenced to death or life in prison for their involvement in the mass murders, rapes and other crimes against humanity by the two war crimes tribunals of Bangladesh, which were set up by the Awami league-led coalition government after it came to power in January 2009.
Many more face trial for similar charges.
Jamaat 'internal matter' of Bangladesh: Pakistan
News Desk, bdnews24.com
Published:July 20 2013 11:42 BDT Updated:July 20 2013 05:36 BDT
Pakistan has washed its hands off the men who fought and committed atrocities to protect it in 1971.
The Pakistan Foreign Office said on Friday that the punishment meted out to Jamaat-e-Islami leaders in Bangladesh was "strictly its internal matter."
But the Foreign Office spokesman refused to elaborate.
He dwelt at length on issues of bilateral ties with India, on the Kashmir issue, about US drone strikes and much else -- but not one word about the war crimes trials which relates to atrocities perpetrated by Pakistani troops and their local collaborators.
Pakistan has never formally tendered an official apology for the mass murders and rapes its troops were involved in during the 1971 Liberation War -- though some public figures in Pakistan including cricketer-politician Imran Khan have said that was necessary to set the record straight.
Bangladesh says nearly three million people were killed and nearly half a million women raped during the 1971 Liberation War.
The Jamaat-e-Islami supported the cause of 'united Pakistan' in 1971 and opposed the Bengali liberation struggle.
Its local leaders and activists joined vigilante auxiliary support forces created by the Pakistani military junta.
These forces -- Razakars, Al-Badr, Al-Shams -- perpetrated some of the horrible atrocities during the 1971 war.
Top Jamaat leaders have been sentenced to death or life in prison for their involvement in the mass murders, rapes and other crimes against humanity by the two war crimes tribunals of Bangladesh, which were set up by the Awami league-led coalition government after it came to power in January 2009.
Many more face trial for similar charges.
