RAWALPINDI: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq on Tuesday condemned alleged silence of international human rights organisations over hanging of Jamaat-i-Islami leaders in Bangladesh and said those executed by the Bangladesh government, had rendered great sacrifices for the unity of Pakistan.

“They’re paying the price of their love for Pakistan, so we should raise our voice for them at all available forums,” Mr Haq said while speaking at a function at the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club, to mark the anniversary of the Fall of Dhaka. He said that only real democracy would guarantee the integrity of the country.

The Jamaat chief said that had the people’s mandate been accepted in 1970 the country would not have seen dismemberment, and held the ruling elite and bureaucracy responsible for the Fall of Dhaka.

“Incompetent rulers and bureaucrats played their role against Bangali brothers,” the Jamaat chief said.

He stressed the need for following teachings of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal to ensure the country’s progress and prosperity.

He urged politicians to unite and shun their difference to ensure prosperity and progress of the country.

“We should unite to avoid letting Pakistan be like Iraq, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan,” he said.

Later, he condemned the Peshawar tragedy and asked the provincial government to resign as it had failed to provide protection to its citizens. He said that a city of flowers was turned into city of tears and many innocent children were killed and left the nation to mourn their deaths.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2014