Pakistani rights activist and also chairman of South Asians for Human Rights Hina Jilani said in Dhaka on Sunday that what happened during the 1971 war of independence was ‘injustice to Bangladesh’ and the Pakistan civil society did not accepted their government’s denial of atrocities committed by Pakistani forces here.
‘The independence struggle of the people of Bangladesh has benefitted Pakistani people as it gives us the courage to question our military regimes,’ Hina said responding to a question on the Pakistan government’s recent statement following the executions of the two war crimes convicts.
She was addressing a press conference at the National Press Club organised by SAHR in collaboration with local rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra.
As a rights defender, she said Bangladesh should not care about what others were saying if it was confident that the trial process was fair and all legal procedures were maintained duly.
Bangladesh bureau member for SAHR Sultana Kamal and Hena in a joint statement said the South Asian region was severely affected by long term inter-state tensions and internal conflicts, which had had long-lasting effects on political stability, economic development, governance and the respect for human rights in all countries of the region.
Asked about the Bangladesh situation in terms of democracy and human rights, Sultana Kamal, also executive director of ASK, said there was still a long way to go to attain democracy and to ensure human rights, particularly for women.
The ‘South Asian Peace Mission’, incorporating delegates from Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, made their first visit to Bangladesh on December 5-6.
During the visit, they held talks with the government officials and students to convey the message of regional peace and solidarity among the South Asian civil societies and the governments as well, said Hena, who led the peace mission.
She said the mission would visit other South Asian countries under the initiative.
Asked about the major challenge in establishing peace and stability in Bangladesh and other South Asian countries, Hina said the security in the region was now threatened by extremism and terrorism. One of the main challenges here was to promote common interest among the people, she mentioned.
In a statement of the Pakistan foreign ministry on November 22, the country described trials related to ‘events’ of 1971 ‘flawed’ and expressed ‘deep concern and anguish’ over the execution of Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Salauddin Quadir Chowdhury and Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Ali Ahsan Mojaheed. Pakistan’s statement triggered strong reactions and protests in Bangladesh.
‘The independence struggle of the people of Bangladesh has benefitted Pakistani people as it gives us the courage to question our military regimes,’ Hina said responding to a question on the Pakistan government’s recent statement following the executions of the two war crimes convicts.
She was addressing a press conference at the National Press Club organised by SAHR in collaboration with local rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra.
As a rights defender, she said Bangladesh should not care about what others were saying if it was confident that the trial process was fair and all legal procedures were maintained duly.
Bangladesh bureau member for SAHR Sultana Kamal and Hena in a joint statement said the South Asian region was severely affected by long term inter-state tensions and internal conflicts, which had had long-lasting effects on political stability, economic development, governance and the respect for human rights in all countries of the region.
Asked about the Bangladesh situation in terms of democracy and human rights, Sultana Kamal, also executive director of ASK, said there was still a long way to go to attain democracy and to ensure human rights, particularly for women.
The ‘South Asian Peace Mission’, incorporating delegates from Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, made their first visit to Bangladesh on December 5-6.
During the visit, they held talks with the government officials and students to convey the message of regional peace and solidarity among the South Asian civil societies and the governments as well, said Hena, who led the peace mission.
She said the mission would visit other South Asian countries under the initiative.
Asked about the major challenge in establishing peace and stability in Bangladesh and other South Asian countries, Hina said the security in the region was now threatened by extremism and terrorism. One of the main challenges here was to promote common interest among the people, she mentioned.
In a statement of the Pakistan foreign ministry on November 22, the country described trials related to ‘events’ of 1971 ‘flawed’ and expressed ‘deep concern and anguish’ over the execution of Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Salauddin Quadir Chowdhury and Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Ali Ahsan Mojaheed. Pakistan’s statement triggered strong reactions and protests in Bangladesh.
Source: New Age
