Terrorism convicts: Nine prisoners on death row in Adiala jail

Preparations to carry out the executions completed at the prison .

RAWALPINDI: Preparations have been completed at the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi to carry out executions of nine convicts involved in terrorism incidents.

Soon after the prime minister lifted the moratorium on the death penalty following the Peshawar massacre arrangements were made at the central jail to carry out the executions.

Among them is Khalid Mehmood, a former chief technician of Pakistan Air Force, who was involved in the attack on former president Pervez Musharraf in 2003 near Jhanda Chichi at Rawalpindi.



Mehmood, who belongs to Chakwal, was brought to the prison on March 27, 2010. Speaking to daily Express, prison officials stated that his case was mature and he will soon be executed.

He was tried under the Army Act. An army court sentenced him to death on October 3, 2005. He was kept in different jails before being transferred to Adiala.

Hameedullah who was involved in the attack on the Pakistan Ordnance Factory at Wah on August 21, 2008 is also in Adiala. He was handed down death sentence on March 14, 2011.

Amir Adeel, another prisoner on death row for his involvement in the attack on a Defence Ministry bus in Rawalpindi on September 4, 2007 that killed at least 25 people and injured 66 others, is also in Adiala Jail since 2008. He was sentenced to death on March 14, 2011.

Three others --- Tahir Mehmood, Hafiz Naseer and Habibullah --- in the attack on Imambargah Najaf near Pirwadhai on February 26, 2002 are also in Adiala.

Among the convicts on the death row in Adiala jail is a constable of the Punjab Police’s Elite Force Mumtaz Qadri who shot dead former Punjab governor Salman Taseer. He was brought to Adiala jail on January 10, 2011 and kept in a high security cell.

Muhammad Aslam, involved in the killing of a provincial assembly member was brought to the jail in October 2013. He has previously been convicted in six different cases.

Another convict involved in the attack on the US embassy, Zulfiqar Ali, is also on death row at the Adiala jail.

Security of the prison has been increased following the lifting of the moratorium. Moreover, charge of the security has been handed over to the army and the rangers.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2014.