ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Friday expressed ‘deep grief’ and concern over the execution of imprisoned political and religious leader Abdul Quader Molla of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in Bangladesh.

In a statement, he said executing Molla after a delay of 42 years to the events of 1971 was very unfortunate and tragic and some circles are declaring it a judicial murder.

Molla became the first person to be hanged for his role in the country's bloody 1971 war of independence when he was sent to the gallows at a prison in the capital Dhaka late Thursday.

The South Asian country was rocked by a new wave of deadly violence as Jamaat-i-Islami supporters went on a rampage to vent their fury at the execution.

The Pakistani interior minister said the Jamaat leader was undoubtedly hanged because of his loyalty and solidarity with Pakistan in 1971.

“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.”

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said abiding by the demand of international relations, solidarity of international Islamic community and wisdom, conditions and events of the past should be put behind, starting a new era.

“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,” he said.

The minister said it was necessary for peace and brotherhood that strategy of tolerating each other should be adopted in the larger national interest.

Criticising the Bangladesh government, he said, “it would have been better if the Bangladeshi government had shown farsightedness, bigheartedness and magnanimity instead of opening old wounds.”