The last supper: Walk the plank

There are 128 prisoners on death row at Karachi Central Jail.

KARACHI:

In Pakistan, the death penalty is awarded for 27 crimes and so far nearly 8,000 prisoners are waiting for their execution. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, claims that Pakistan has the largest death-row population in the world despite an informal halt on executions since 2008. According to Karachi Central Jail Deputy Superintendent Raja Mumtaz, there are 128 prisoners on death row at the prison.

Khan is not the only prisoner with a black warrant. Attaullah and Mohammad Azam have also been given a stay by the court till June 30 as the president also rejected their mercy petition. The two were given the death sentence for killing a doctor.

The last time a prisoner was sent to the gallows at Karachi Central Jail was on February 20, 2008. His name was Javed Malik and he was sentenced to death for murdering the son of a political activist. He was the 57th prisoner to be hung at the prison.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2012.