Pakistan seeks top award for Bangla Jamaat men

Pakistan’s Punjab provincial assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking conferment of the country’s highest civil award, the Nishan-e-Pakistan, on Bangladeshi leaders who were executed for collaborating with Pakistan during 1971 Bangladesh war of independence.

Earlier in May, a resolution was moved in the Punjab provincial assembly by Opposition leader and PTI member Mehmoodur Rasheed after Bangladesh hanged senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader Motiur Rehman Nizami for war crimes. The Opposition leader argued against the executions in Bangladesh and demanded the government must raise the issue before international human rights organisations. Mr Rasheed claimed that the Bangladeshi government had awarded death penalties to Jamaat-e-Islami leaders “for their love of Pakistan.”

Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq claimed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed was working on instructions of the Indian government.

Mr Haq led funeral prayers in absence of the Bangladesh party leaders. A resolution was moved in the National Assembly as well to condemn the Nizami execution. Also, the assembly passed a resolution dissenting from United States stance to continue targeting potential threats in Pakistan. The resolution was moved after UIS State Department announced to continue drone strikes in Pakistan. The stance was cleared after Sunday’s drone attack in Balochistan’s Nushki that allegedly killed Afghan Taliban leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour. The government strongly condemned the strike and termed it a breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif besides different sections criticised the violation. However, the government is yet to confirm Mullah Akhtar Mansour’s death whereas President Barack Obama, who personally had given a go-ahead to the first ever drone attack in Balochistan has confirmed his death.