Plea for mercy: Russia reacts to execution of its citizen
Akhlaque, a dual-national, was among the four convicts hanged for assassination attempt on Pervez Musharraf in 2003
ISLAMABAD:
Hours after one of its citizens was hanged in Faisalabad jail, Russia reacted to the execution of Akhlaque Ahmed on Sunday, saying it had repeatedly urged Pakistani authorities to reconsider his sentence on humanitarian grounds, a statement issued by the Russian Embassy said.
“The Russian Embassy in Islamabad and the Russian citizen’s lawyers were making efforts to postpone carrying out the sentence,” the statement added.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2014.
Hours after one of its citizens was hanged in Faisalabad jail, Russia reacted to the execution of Akhlaque Ahmed on Sunday, saying it had repeatedly urged Pakistani authorities to reconsider his sentence on humanitarian grounds, a statement issued by the Russian Embassy said.
Akhlaque, a dual-national, was among the four convicts hanged for the botched assassination attempt on Pervez Musharraf in 2003.
Akhlaque was given death penalty by military court in 2005. However, his execution was not carried out due to moratorium on death penalty since 2008.
Pakistan lifted the ban on capital punishment in the wake of barbaric attack on the Army Public School.
“The Russian Embassy in Islamabad and the Russian citizen’s lawyers were making efforts to postpone carrying out the sentence,” the statement added.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2014.