Pakistan to summon Bangladesh’s envoy

Hasina Wajid regime violating tripartite agreement of 1974, govt tells NA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to summon Bangladesh’s envoy to lodge a protest and convey Islamabad’s concerns over the recent executions of two opposition members, a ruling party lawmaker told lawmakers in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

The announcement by MNA Sheikh Aftab Ahmad came a day after lawmakers unanimously decried the ‘flawed war crimes trials’ of the opposition leaders in Bangladesh and urged the Pakistani government to take up the matter in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).



Salauddin Quadir Chowdhury, leader of the Bangladesh National Party, and Ali Ahsan Mojaheed of the Jamaat-e-Islami, were hanged on Sunday in Dhaka’s Central Jail. Pakistan’s Foreign Office expressed ‘shock and anguish’ over the ‘unfortunate executions’ – a move that invited the wrath of the Bangladeshi government that called it ‘unacceptable interference’ in its internal affairs.



Replying to a calling attention notice of Jamaat-e-Islami lawmakers, MNA Ahmad told lawmakers on Wednesday that the government of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid was violating a tripartite agreement signed by Pakistan, Bangladesh and India in 1974. “Bangladesh did not exist in 1971 and it was a war between Pakistan and India, and the trial of those who supported Pakistan was irrational,” he added.

PTI lawmaker Shirin Mazari asked the government to call back Pakistan’s ambassador from Dhaka in protest.



In other proceedings, the government deferred a bill related to import of Halal products after a rift emerged among its allies. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman underlined need for a Halal authority to ensure import of Halal products. Zahid Hamid sought some time from speaker to deliberate on this issue.

However, the house passed amendments in the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 (VII of 2010). The new bill, Anti-Money Laundering (Amendment) Act, 2015, suggests harsh penalties for money laundering and illegal transaction of money for terrorism. The new amendments replaced certain words and clauses to make the act compatible with the new challenges.

The house also offered Fateha for Mariam Mukhtiar, the first lady pilot of Pakistan Air Force who died in a crash on Tuesday near Mianwali.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th,  2015.