Bangladesh on Monday summoned Pakistan's High Commissioner Shuja Alam after Islamabad expressed concern over the death penalty given to Jamaat-e-Islami president Motiur Rahman Nizami over "war crimes".
A Bangladesh apex court verdict paves the way for Nizami's execution over his involvement in the crimes committed during the 1971 war that led to Bangladesh's independence.
Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Mizanur Rahman summoned Alam. A Foreign Ministry official told Xinhua that a "protest note" was handed over to the Pakistan envoy.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry expressed "deep concern" over the dismissal of Nizami's final review petition against his death sentence by Bangladesh's Supreme Court.
The Islamist party chief now only has the option of seeking the president's mercy to stall his imminent execution.
Nizami was indicted in 2012 with 16 charges of crimes against humanity, including looting, mass killings, arson, rape and forcefully converting people to Muslims during the 1971 war.
--IANS
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