Pakistan embassy official meets drug convict Zulfiqar Ali in Indonesia

Jakarta govt halted the convict's death sentence after repeated calls from Islamabad to review his case


Kamran Yousaf August 01, 2016
Pakistan embassy official meets Zulfiqar Ali in Indonesia. PHOTO: EXPRESS/KAMRAN YOUSAF

ISLAMABAD: An official of Pakistan embassy in Jakarta met drug convict Zulfiqar Ali on Monday, days after his execution was halted by Indonesia.

On Thursday, the country rejected appeals from the UN and EU to halt the execution of 14 drug convicts including foreigners, later executing only four of them.

The 52-year-old had been arrested from Bogor on drug trafficking charges in November 2004 and sentenced by a district court in 2005. The sentence was upheld by a higher court in 2006 while two subsequent judicial review pleas, first in 2008 and then in 2013, were turned down.

The official today held a meeting with Zulfiqar for four hours and primarily inquired after his health.

Indonesia halts execution of Pakistani drug convict

The officer also met the convict's family and his doctor, wherein he confirmed Zulfiqar was in good spirits and his health problems were being adequately attended to.

Last week, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Indonesia Aqil Naseem cited findings of an internal investigation which found “serious breaches of a fair trial” and urged that the case be reviewed.

Pakistan's Foreign Office had also hoped a clemency plea to pardon Zulfikar, will be considered.

COMMENTS (11)

IndiaDude | 7 years ago | Reply The point everybody is missing here is “How come mostly Pakistanis are convicted drug related offences in foreign countries”?. It is not just a question of saving one Pakistani, kit is a question of the criminal mindset. What drives them to commit such offences. Unless these questions are addressed, there will be many more waiting to either beheaded of hanged?
Rehmat Ali | 7 years ago | Reply What about 400+ Pakistanis waiting to beheaded in Saudi Arab as all Fridays booked. How these people cleared from our airports.Whom to blame? A lot of Customs and Anti drug narcotics enforcement officials and screening is there.Recent narcotics recovery in PIA plane, Its look now to fulfill global drugs and narcotics demand PIA also taking part. We should hire one drug trafficker and take his consultancy in sharing tactics.
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