The execution of the “Butcher of Mirpur” Abdul Quader Molla is “an effort to revive old wounds” with Bangladesh, a Pakistani minister said.
The government should have considered the greater national interest and shown “farsightedness” and goodness instead, the minister said.
Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan made the comment critiquing the execution in a statement issued on Friday, local daily Dawn reported.
The minister expressed “deep grief” and concern over the execution of what was said the political and religious leader Quader Molla, the report said.
“Till the very end before creation of Bangladesh, he (Molla) remained supporter of a united Pakistan and today every Pakistani is saddened and grieved on his death,” he said.
Molla was undoubtedly hanged because of his loyalty with Pakistan in 1971, he said. “But with this unfortunate incident, an effort is made to revive old wounds of the past.”
“In reality, whenever any country regrettably falls victim to a civil war, then all sides in the conflict resort to violence.”
The minister said it was necessary for peace and brotherhood that strategy of tolerating each other should be adopted in the larger national interest, the report said.
“It would have been better if the Bangladeshi government had shown farsightedness, bigheartedness and magnanimity instead of opening old wounds.”
Quader Molla, who was convicted of war crimes during 1971, was executed after 42 years of bloodstained independence on Thursday.
