Dhaka: Bangladesh government on Sunday summoned acting Pakistan High Commissioner in Dhaka Samina Mehtab to lodge a strong protest against Pakistan’s reaction over the execution of Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali.

Despite Bangladesh’s repeated requests to stay away from its internal affairs, Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said it is deeply saddened over the execution of war criminal Mir Quasem Ali.

An official in Dhaka described Pakistan’s reaction ‘totally unacceptable’ and ‘brazen’ interfere in Bangladesh’s internal affairs.

The Pakistan side claimed that Quasem was executed for the ‘alleged crimes committed before December 1971’ and termed the trial as a ‘flawed judicial process’.

‘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 organizations, 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,’ Pakistan said in its statement.

It said the government of Bangladesh should ‘uphold its commitment, as per the Tripartite Agreement of 1974, wherein it decided not to proceed with the trials as an act of clemency.’

However, officials in Dhaka said it is clearly ‘distorted’ version of the agreement.

‘Recriminations for political gains are counter-productive,’ the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said adding, ‘Pakistan believes that matters should be addressed with a forward looking approach in the noble spirit of reconciliation.’

Bangladesh described the trial of war criminals as people’s demand and Pakistan statement is totally against the ‘national spirit’.

Pakistan also offered deepest condolences to the bereaved family members of executed war criminal Mir Quasem.

Earlier, Mir Quasem Ali was hanged on Saturday night for his crimes against humanity during the War of Liberation War in 1971.