Hailing from Hazara’s Khalabat Township, 36-year-old Syed Zahid Hussain Shah was sentenced to death in China last year on charges of drug trafficking. He was executed with a lethal injection on Wednesday, family sources confirmed to The Express Tribune.
The deceased’s body hasn’t been handed over to the family yet, sources said, adding that Shah’s final rites will be performed in his hometown.
This is the second execution of a district Haripur resident in China in as many years.
A man named Tariq was also executed in 2010 after being apprehended by Chinese law enforcement agencies for drug trafficking.
Shah moved to South Korea in late 90s, and shifted to China in 2007 saying he had started a business there.
“We were informed that he was arrested by the Shanghai police while smuggling drugs in April 2008”, said Zamrud, a relative of Shah. Shah’s death sentence was upheld by China’s Supreme Court while four of his accomplices, also from Pakistan, were sentenced to life imprisonment.
“We approached the Pakistani government through Amnesty International and Asian Human Rights Commission,” Zamrud said, adding that these organisations appealed to the Chinese government for clemency or commuting Shah’s capital punishment to life imprisonment, following the precedent of three Filipinos whose capital punishment was commuted to life imprisonment earlier this year.
Zamrud blamed the government of Pakistan and authorities at the Pakistani embassy in Beijing for their lack of interest in pursuing the case and claimed that Shah was framed by business partners.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2011.
COMMENTS (22)
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he was my uncle so pry for him
@ Mirza
Drug trafficking is a serious crime all over the world including china, it has Zero tolerance in all over the world (Pakistan should also follow same policy). Don’t make it a china-Pakistan alliance issue.
@ET stops portraying these criminal as innocents.
he was a business man and in feud and jealousy, a lot of things happen as you know us Pakistanis. Even if he did it (which I strongly doubt), still death is not the sentence for drugs, even in Islam. :-((. My heart is bleeding today ! I lost someone who was so loving to me. Who always gave me good suggestions. My heart says he was innocent
All my sympathies with the grieved family and friends. Nobody can feel the pain they are going through. The great nations follow their laws without any distinctions and I wish Pakistan do the same and I am sure with that murderers, terrorists, criminals, rapists and kidnappers won't become heroes in Pakistan.
it was very sad.he was a very good person.he is my relative. and plz dont pass the bad comments.i request you guys to pray to pray for him plz plz plz............................................plz .................................................................plz...............thanks.
It is very sad and disturbing to read harsh comments about a deceased person in any civilized society you do not do this for the respect and dignity of the deceased you can only pray for him, Allah knows the best
ALLAH PAK Give him GreaT PlaCe In HeaVen Ameen Sume Ameen ... I ReQuest Alz Of Yew Plz Pray for ZahiD Bahi.. ThankYoU :)..
He was my cousin so please, don't hurt me and our family by such comments. On the contrary, I do not oppose to the laws but, we know he was a business man and due to feud and jealousy, especially in us Pakistanis, tragedies happen like this where anyone can involve someone in obnoxious acts and then report to Police. Whatever, I request you guys to pray for his soul, may he rest in peace ! Thank you!
pakistan should learn a lesson from this accident and same charges apply if any forgn caught in pakistan
@prudent: My dear first of all the death penalty is too cruel for any crime. Only a few countries have that and it is disappearing fast. Even if we believe "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" the death penalty is too much for crimes other than cold blooded murders. It is just a matter of my person ideology. Making such draconian laws is cruel and unusual punishment from world standards. There may be only a few countries like China, North Korea, Iran, etc., which has such laws in cases other than murders. In most cases life term would suffice. Thanks and regards, Mirza
@Mirza: being a friend country is one thing and punishing a criminal is totally a different proposition....so if he was rightfully and justifiably executed...then we are ok with it....otherwise it must rank as a cruel judgement of a "judge" not China...on the whole....
I totally agree with amjad why flaunt the rules of another country for. this person totally deserved it.
so the greater than mountain frenship is now in gutters? Where is our govt and media to raise voices, and our "experts" who are the first to shout loud? Why no news ?? If law of land is supreme, then why there was a huge fiasco when rahat ali was caught blatantly violating law in India? we are becoming masters of double gaming, and no one, even the chinese dont trust us.
Has any one in our country known as Islamic Republic Of Pakistan ever gave death sentence to drug smugglers ????? China did it. Law works there and here there is mostly win win position due to bribe and corruption at all levels.
I wish Indians too would follow the example of the courageous Chinese by administering a lethal drug to Kasab !!
when you do not respect the law of the land, this is what can happen. I wish Shah shouldn't have traded his life for money.
If he was rightly convicted then am sorry he deserved it, and the same goes for any chines or any other national caught in crimes in Pakistan.. they too should be dealt with first clear background research and dealt with accordingly .
Why blame the government of Pakistan when you choose to flaunt the laws of another country. Everyone should follow the laws of the land where they live. Recall the UK could not stop the execution of one of its nationals who was involved in drug smuggling. If anything, the Chinese have every right to exercise their laws as they see fit in their nation. I salute the Chinese on their zero tolerance policy towards drug smugglers who harm untold innocents with street drugs.
China is our true friend and knows how to deal with young Pakistanis. Death is the most cruel punishment in the world. Let us see what my countrymen say about this?
RIP