Khadija Shah (R) walks past a Pakistani policeman after a court hearing in Rawalpindi on March 18. PHOTO: AFP
Khadija Shah, who is from the central city of Birmingham and of Pakistani descent, was arrested at Islamabad airport in May 2012 when the drugs were found in her luggage.
She was convicted and sentenced at a special narcotics court in Rawalpindi, the twin city of Islamabad, according to legal papers seen by AFP. She was also fined Rs300,000.
Shah, 26, who was six months pregnant when she was arrested, denied the allegations. She gave birth to a daughter last September while in custody on the drugs charges.
Her lawyer Shehzad Akbar said she had no idea there were drugs in her luggage and they would appeal.
Legal charity Reprieve urged the British government to help.
"This is a terrible outcome for Khadija and her baby Malaika," Maya Foa of Reprieve said in a release.
"As happens in hundreds of cases, she was used as a drugs mule without her knowledge, and yet is facing life in a Pakistani prison."
COMMENTS (13)
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It is great that this lady were not going to Saudi Arabia, Malaysia or Singapore. She would have been put to death for sure, no ifs and buts. If the amount of luggage or drugs is accurate then several people bring in extra luggage or with several kids she may be eligible for that much weight, hence extra amount of drugs. If it were a western court then the whole country would be crying foul.
63 Kgs cant be in luggage without her knowledge, using her kids luggage allowance s too. Looks like someone who suppose to clear her through security wasnt there. I dont know why she is trying to play Pak British card since day one? It doesn't make you above the law. An adult is responsible for his/her deeds.
@Shagy and others who are questioning the weight limit. PIA allows 40 kg for booking and 7 kg for hand luggage. She was traveling with two kids hence total weight limit would be 120 kg which is to be booked. If it is some other airline (mostly middle east airlines which are indirect) then 30 kg per seat for booking and 7 kg for hand luggage. In this case total allowed limit would be 90 kg for booking.
On the case: According to BBC, she cannot speak Urdu so it shows she was raised and born in Britian. She must be an educated lady. I have seen uneducated ladies traveling from Pakistan to UK who don't accept anything from anybody for the same reasons as faced by Miss Shah. Ultimately responsibility lies with her even if she has no intention of smuggling. Authorities has managed to find heroin but what would have been the situation she would have boarded on the plane without any trouble. Either she would have been captured in UK, then she would have been labelled as Pakistani citizen or she would have been enjoying in UK by selling this heroin.
British always stress upon respecting law in their country. But whenever their citizens got involved in such cases their media just forget all the laws of foreign countries. Their govt also forget to respect the laws outside the boundaries of UK.
A British citizen was caught red handed so she should be punished for such acts.
Thank Allah that the named person is a British Pakistani. If the report did nor mention this, the blame would be on Afghans, deflecting the blame. Education and home upbringing?
May 2012 to March 2014 .... In Pakistani police custody ... This amounts more than life imprisonment ... I think her all sins should be rinsed clean and she should be set free !!!!
@Chaudhry:
Are you trying to be funny? Because you're not. I don't understand why you would drag ethnicity into this. Do Punjabis/Sindhis/Balochis not deal or consume drugs? Your ignorance is exactly what is wrong with Pakistan. Ignorant leading the uneducated masses.
Common sense says "63 freaking KGs in luggage, that too of a pregnant woman, that too with two kids, is not possible". This is not justice in my opinion, lord knows best.
So, ONLY a pathan in his 30's, with a beard and visa to Dubai, should be charged with drugs smuggling :P This could have been anyone of ours mother or sister if it was without her knowledge , but thats 63 KG :(
The weight limit per passenger on most airlines is 23-30 kg, unless shes travelling business class then its up to 45 kg...how could she not have known she has 63 kg of drugs?!
Is it 63 kilograms or 63 grams of drugs that was found in her luggage? If 63 Kg. of drugs were found in her luggage, her total luggage, including her personal items would be several times the weight of the drugs, and could be say, 630 Kg. or much more (at least 10 times the weight of drugs). Did she carry it as a personal luggage or was she shipping this ton of luggage in a freight container? Something wrong here.