Mohammed Zayer Khan Qol was arrested as he was "smuggling a large amount of heroin" into the kingdom, said the statement published by the official SPA news agency.
His beheading in the western region of Makkah brings to 73 the number of executions carried out in Saudi Arabia this year, according to an AFP count.
In 2012, the Saudis carried out 76 executions, according to a tally based on official figures. Human Rights Watch put the number at 69.
Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under the oil-rich nation's strict version of sharia, or Islamic law.
COMMENTS (19)
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@Gingo: some one has to move the stuff from Afghanistan to reach the world markets. Afghnistan is reported to have produced for the first time more opium than the total world demand. I would check all transports coming out of Afghanistan, by air and by road; after declarung them as suspects.
Rex Minor
@numbersnumbers: You are a man of numbers, a non believer , just counting numbers. I will condemn all those who forcefully take other peoples lives, knowing fully that those who resist occupation can also cause deaths with their very human reaction. We are all sinners in one way or other.
Rex Minor
@Rex Minor: BTW, WHO (other than your beloved TTP "Resistance") "has the right to kill a human (like the 30,000 plus Pakistanis slaughtered by TTP) when it is forbidden by God the almighty one"???? How about dealing with the "Barbarians and ignorents" inside Pakistan before pointing fingers at other countries!
This is barbaric moreover they cannot hide behind the shariah for death by any means is not prescribed for moving restricted substances.
Who has the right to kill a human when it is forbiden by God the almighty one? The 7th commandment through Moses, "Though shall not kill".
Barbarians and ignorents are those who challenge it. Deportation or education is what Saui arabia need to practice.
Rex Minor
What proof did Saudi's had that the Pakistani man was a drug trafficker or just some poor shmuck who had heroin hidden in his bag without him knowing? How many innocents have they beheaded?
I know a few people who give open threats of placing contraband in luggage of someone leaving for KSA to get back at them.
@M. Emad: In fact most drug smugglers in Europe are the poorer Arab asylum seekers from North Africa and Turks. The problem with Saudi justice is that it only applies to poor foreigners or poor Saudis - any Saudi national with influence gets off and any Westerner would also get off since the Saudis are afraid of Western nations. It's this subjective justice which is hypocritical in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi national raped and killed his own daughter recently and he was let off with minimal jail time.
@J T: Saudis may be from mediviel period, but the country is much moré safer and economically prosporous than Pakistán.....there is no corruption, adulteration, nepotism, favortism etc; of the level that is taking place every day in Pakistán......food and energy is plenty and affordable....they are following Islamic Shariah law,hence, law and order is under control un like Pakistán. Pakistán should be outsourced to KSA.
In SA it is average one Pakistani a month on same charge. So much of brotherly country. people still don't learn a lesson.
The fact that apostasy is punishable at all, let alone by death, just shows how backward that country is. Horrific.
If Saudis are so adamant on capital punishment, can't there be a better and more human way? This is barbaric.
Death penalty for things like armed robbery and apostasy only shows an utterly medieval mindset. KSA even prosecutes people for sorcery/witchcraft. It'd be very interesting to observe that part of the world the day they run out of all that oil.
Afghans have obtained Pakistani Passports and are involved in this business.
''In 2012, the Saudis carried out 76 executions, according to a tally based on official figures. Human Rights Watch put the number at 69''. isnt it strange that the officials claim a higher number while the HRW reports a lesser number?
saudis, as always seem to be living in the 6th century.
Pakistanis are one of the top drug traffickers in Saudi Arabia, Gulf Kingdoms and Europe.
Good.