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Pakistan ‘saddened’ by Mir Quasem’s execution

Pakistan said it was ‘deeply saddened’ by Bangladesh’s execution of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali and alleged that he was hanged after a conviction ‘through a flawed judicial process’, a Pakistan Foreign Office statement said on Saturday night.‘The act of suppressing the Opposition, through flawed trials, is completely against the spirit of democracy. Ever since the beginning of the trials, several international organisations, human rights groups, and international legal figures have raised objections to the court proceedings, especially regarding fairness and transparency, as well as harassment of lawyers and witnesses representing the accused,’ it said.Pakistan also called upon the Bangladeshi government to uphold its commitment, as per the Tripartite Agreement of 1974, wherein it was ‘decided not to proceed with the trials as an act of clemency’.‘Recriminations for political gains are counterproductive. Pakistan believes that matters should be addressed with a forward looking approach in the noble spirit of reconciliation,’ the statement said.It said Pakistan offers deepest condolences to the bereaved family members.