According to sources a convict is scheduled to be hanged on September 3 and two on September 4. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
After five years of an unofficial moratorium on executions, the Kot Lakhpat Jail authorities have been given the go ahead to hang death row prisoners.
A prison teacher may be the first to be executed, The Express Tribune has learnt. His execution has been scheduled for August 21. Black warrants have been issued in this regard by the district and sessions judge in Islamabad.
Jail authorities have received black warrants for four prisoners on death row. Sources privy to the arrangements told The Express Tribune, on condition of anonymity, that a convict is scheduled to be hanged on September 3 and two on September 4. They said cases of convicts on death row at the jail were being forwarded to the sessions judges concerned for issuance of black warrants.
Zulfiqar Ali alias Dr Zulfiqar (son of Rasheed Khan), resident of Narowal, is scheduled to be executed on August 21. He was convicted of robbery and murder on September 14, 1999. Stay orders against his execution were granted by the president 13 times. The first such order was granted on October 6, 2008.
Jail sources said that Ali had taught other inmates at the Kot Lakhpat jail. He was known to have a Master’s degree in political science besides 11 diplomas, one of which had taken four years to complete. He had studied various disciplines including journalism, medicine and library sciences, and had won a gold medal and two silver medals during his incarceration.
He also taught other inmates, 12 of which had completed university degrees. Others had passed their intermediate and matriculation examinations, they said.
The second convict to be hanged is Tahir Bashir. He was convicted of murder on February 4, 2000. His appeal for mercy was rejected by the president on May 11, 2012. A black warrant against him had been issued on November 13, 2012, but the president granted a stay order on that. His conviction is now scheduled for September 3.
Malik Ashraf is scheduled to be hanged on September 4. An FIR had been registered against him for murder in 1996. He was accused of killing his wife Ruqayya Bibi, his maid Shehnaz and his grandson Muhammad Zaman. He was convicted on April 2, 2001 and his clemency appeal was rejected on July 11, 2012. He was first set to be executed on November 13, 2012, but was granted a stay order by the president.
Azhar Mahmood of Mandi Bahaudin is also scheduled to be executed on September 4.
According to Jail records, there are 55 prisoners on death row whose petitions for mercy have been rejected by the president.
There are 105 prisoners on death row whose appeals are still pending before the Supreme Court and appeals of 405 prisoners are pending before the High Courts.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2013.
COMMENTS (14)
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What arouses my curiousity more is what would drive such an educated man to robbery and murder? It makes me wonder if the convict really did do the crime and whether there was a proper investigation, which may not have been the case.
Take a start soon. there are 350 terrorists in the queue who must be hanged in this flow. sooner the better. they have taken innocent lives and justice must be served.
he has completed 14 yrs and has shown outstanding behaviour of high benefits. he can be granted bail now. Pity terrorists and plotters of killing thousands of Pakistanis are roaming free.
Last time, we heard there were some 8000+ convicts on death rows, around 1000 of whom were extremists and terrorists. Let their be no executions until all terrorists are hanged first!
Some of the comments above by respected members are really immature, please use common sense! Criminals are punished everywhere in the world, and killers and murderers are given death!
Start exsecuting the murderers and terrorists and advertise it on all media outlets and see the difference in next 6 month priod! you will be surprised how effective it could be...
PHD or an illiterate, a crime is a crime and the fact that he is educated and all should not hinder the justice process. Ask the families of the ones he murdered wether they are ready to spare him the capital punishment just because he has 11 diplomas and a masters degree.
Great step by the government and I hope the list is expanded in the days to come.
I think they are from TTP, its only been disguised so as not to let people celebrate and TTP boil in anger, Im confident the first one is definitely from TTP. he seems an ideological follower. too bad such talent going to waste.
@Parvez Amin: In 1978 four killers of a child were publicly hanged to death afterwards for around 3 to four years there was practically none such a crime committed for ther fear of the punishment. It's only afterwards with corrupt regimes like the previous one halting punishments to criminals that this land is actually ruled by criminals from mohalla to mohalla, market to market
@Parvez Amin:
Please give me your contact details and I will get in touch to hear your 'great' ideas.do you propose we let these proven killers free? Is that a better deterrent? Or do we let them stay in prison until the TTP comes and frees them?
This makes a good start to purge the criminals from our society, but the previous status quo government of PPP was simply dragging its feet!
NO terrorist in the list? So TTP's threat to PML N did work
I have a proposal that addresses the major weakness in death as a punishment. The punishment is ineffective as it does not stop or discourage the crimes for which it is awarded. The system for giving prison sentences also does not work as crimes continue to rise. I want someone from your newspaper to contact me for details. Quick action is required as we may be able to save the lives of those now facing execution.
No terrorists in this list. Protect them till an other attack on the jail.