An Express News screen grab of the LeJ activist.
The case is seen as a test of the government's plan to execute convicted terrorists in the aftermath of a school massacre that claimed 150 lives in the country's deadliest terror attack
Ikramul Haq, a co-founder of banned Sunni militant outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), was sentenced to death by an anti-terror court in 2004 for killing a Shia Muslim in 2001.
Haq is popularly known as Akram Lahori and also has another alias Muhammad Ajmal.
The co-founder was set to be hanged in Lahore on early Thursday but his family came to a deal with the victim's relatives on Wednesday night, Haq's lawyer, Ghulam Mustafa Mangan, told AFP.
"The hanging was cancelled after we reached a compromise with the complainant's family. They have pardoned my client," Mangan said, without giving further details of the deal.
Murder can be forgiven under law in exchange for blood money, while rival militant groups may choose to pardon each others' convicted killers.
Ehsanul Haq, brother of Ikramul Haq, confirmed the cancellation of hanging.
A senior prison official also confirmed the move, adding: "A magistrate has recorded the statements and the execution has been stayed. Now the court will decide whether the person (should) be acquitted or not."
The government lifted a six-year moratorium, last month, on the death penalty in terror cases in the wake of the Taliban's horrific massacre at an army-run school in the city of Peshawar, and has so far executed nine people.
The attack on December 16 left 150 people dead, the vast majority of them children.
Pakistani officials said they plan to hang 500 convicts in the coming weeks, drawing protest from international human rights campaigners.
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Might is right, relation of his party with big wigs played the role.
good, he should be tried for "Fasad Fil Ard" now which should have same punishment
Are these judges out of there mind ?
@Azam Khan: Hahha dear actually you are angry or you questioned my PM.I tell you my PM is clean like a your holiest place you know why, bcz I have been living in rule of law or we believed in constitution and my supreme court got wisdom like a almighty god.you know why india is great? Bcz we dont believe in shria law, my sympathy with you bcz its not your fault bcz your qiad jinah was a confused personality he got brahman blood fron kashmir and converted shia and wrapped in sunni package and gifted you as a qiad so reality is jinah was confused that why you are confused,I hope next time you will not born in confused land
@Raghu: Why don't you mind your own business. You have elected a Prime Minister who has blood on his hands.
@Barooq: and even today's newaspapers none of the paper rectified their error....
His crime was against the State... and state should continue with his HANGING !
radar must be turned towards lal masjid and AZIZ also.
My friends from PTI aren't aware that Ikramul Haq is the same man who made a failed attempt on Nawaz Sharif's life in 1997 and announced reward money for anyone who kills both Nawaz & Shehbaz Sharif. Making assumptions on his friendly links with Sharif family is not only absurd but hilarious
he attacked and Imam Bargah and killed more than one person. He is a terrorist so whats wrong with our people? just hanging who they don't care about?
It is absolutely beyond belief, in the name God and religion these people has committed unspeakable atrocities and then under the same God and religion they are pardoned. It is the State which is prosecuting these murderers and the State should decide and not the victims. I wonder if the victim's family has been coerced into forgiving this convict.
This is an example of what is wrong with sharia law...justice becomes corrupted because a rich or powerful man can buy his way out of trouble with a poor man...this is not justice...murder is against laws of the state and should not be allowed to be forgiven...
I guess the government cannot protect the family from this group. Their threats are real and the Government of Punjab is keeping this group alive for their own purposes. Maybe it is the $1.5 payback.
It is not a case where diyat is acceptable, This person was convicted in the ATC and not under section 302 etc. He is not pardoned, the execution is stayed pending a hearing.
Time for the Military courts to take over.
@saeed: You r right bro military court will haunt innocent ppl or also become a threat for your supreme court, this is a checked reality when you worked under public outcry pressure andmake law without any public discussion even without calling opinions of civil society that law will never serve humanity
Execute him on national security! Everyone knows, they make their way out bulling victim's family.
This deal must be due to threats from this killer to victim's family. Big mistake to let this killer go free.
Well, so much for our 'civil courts'. Our system of justice is a sick joke.
First of all, when Pakistan's highest courts had confirmed this death sentence of one of the serial murderer and terrorist, why would a low magistrate at the jail overturn the sentence and set free? He had no such power and jurisdiction. If Qisas under Islamic law was sought it should have been appealed at the high court level at least. Secondly, even under Islamic law forgiveness by the family of only one victim is not enough to set this murderer free. This LeJ terrorist murdered other innocent citizens, law-enforcement officials as well. What about their families? This whole drama of setting this terrorist murderer free is completely illegal and unconstitutional.It seems both the magistrate and the family of one of the murdered victim were threatened with death by the Lej/SSP terror masterminds.
This beardman, is killer of innocent people. The deal is horrified many people because as soon as he came out from the jail, he will start killing. So it was better he should have to send to gallow instead of making any deal in order to save many innocents lives.
Now I am convinced that military courts will be used only against political opponents. Government does not have the guts to stand against religiously motivated terrorism.
Needs to check, whether the accused were threatened or not!!
What a sad situation and dilemma Pakistani society is facing now days: Dead bodies of two convicted killers of Sipa-e-Sahaba were welcomed with rose petals in Multan AND this another notorious killer “Akram Lahori” will be walking free on the streets sooner. He commited serious crime against state and humanity. Who knows how much pressure relatives were facing.
These is a big and severe blow to your new law and policy, now one example set and other will follow by hook or crook and they all will Scot free i think these is the serious way to fight militancy in Pakistan
He committed murder and the rule of law meted by a court and a judge is the death sentence. This should be carried out without any leniency. There is more under this story.
OMG Incompetent Journalism at its peak. LEJ Co Founder name was Muhammad Ajmal, Alias Akram Lahori. He is held in Karachi Jail to this date. This guy is a different guy. The LeJ co founder looks nothing like this guy
Don't you people have anyone who has any idea what happened before 2005?
shameful
This is ridiculous. Another mockery of Islamic laws.
@ZN: Nations make their legal systems, not the other way around. So don't blame legal system. I have commented many times before that there is not a single person of authority who would promise to change it because it suits everyone.
Is this a joke or what ? in case of terrorism the relatives of the deceased CANNOT and SHOULD NOT pardon the terrorist. In such cases govt. is the one that becomes aggrieved party because terrorism comes under the definition of "fasaad fil Ardh". If this transpires as reported that we have absolutely NO chance in war against terror. Its just begun and we are only taking on TTP at the moment. But at a later stage we have to work on these factories of terror (a.k.a extremist mullahs, their madressahs and the hate literature coming out of them).
We need to go back to Qai e Azam's Pakistan.
NOT the Nizam e Jahaliat unleashed on us by Zia so he could stay in power.
These looney toones with their big bushy beards need to be put to work on something constructive (rather than declaring every one a kafir, killing us etc). How about:
1) Nationwide litter collection scheme? 2) Painting over garffitti/wal chalking and removing illegal posters 3) National tree planting scheme 4) National rehab scheme for schools, they can paint and repair damage 5) Traffic rules awareness scheme
Nothing surprises me anymore coming out of this laanti country.
Disgusting! Depressing! Divine Intervention needed urgently! Our legal system and sympathizers of such people are enemies of Pakistan. Speechless on the ineffectiveness of the system!
what problem do the commentators have here when the family of the victim has no problem and have forgiven the person out of free will. Go take a hike. Only the relatives can forgive the person.
What's this rubbish about the victim's family forgiving? It's the state that prosecuting a murder. Don't you understand the incredible pressure that can be brought to bear on family members to reach such "agreements". Why are you devoid of common sense?
This is a mockery of the judicial system.....and a mockery of the State.
Future of Pakistan and Pakistanis at stake this goveryfailed to deliver with their 'experiencedream, no reform tax system, no transparent governance, no police, health, educational and environmental reforms just making roads and motorways will not safeguard the future of Pakistan. We lost Our kids and now they are fooling us for selective justice after couple of weeks show off with words that how serious they are towards dealing eradicating the problem from it"s rout, it is a treacherous act of safeguarding then unfer the curtain of plantif forgiving them. Nation have been destroyes in the past by such selective justime, will we ever correct wrongdoings, we"ll be history if we won't learn NOW.
Thats why the some judges and lawyers are protesting against the formation of Militry Courts as they are MASTERS to find way out for any criminal - sooner or later this country will end up due to its own law makers and criminals.
Oh Come On...!!!!
Wow on Pakistan Criminal Justice System!
What a joke!! keep forgiving the murderers looters and criminal's like No. Ratymond Davis saga and this coubtry will flourish day and night.
Please corret it.. He is not co founder. Co founder akram lahoree is some one else. He is ikramulhaq but with same nick name lahoree basically belong to shorkot cantt.
This is preposterous, i don't think terrorism cases fall under the category where complainant can 'forgive' the accused.
These people are enemy of the state, only person who can pardon them is the President of Pakistan. This is unbelievable, why was it being tried as a simple murder case, if it was.
He is always be blue eyed of Sharif's and Establishment that's why he always survived . May he is " GOOD " terrorist .
I do think now that the country is actually a failed state. A country which has the ability of producing brilliant engineers, doctors, artists, architects, writers, economists and scientists has lost its fate in the hands of inept leadership and self serving interests of the people who are running it. The only way to fix/rid the country of the problems to to get the wrong people off from the helm of affairs and get the right people to run it. If this does not happen, the country will further plunge into a civil war.
Terrorism is a crime against individual and state. If individual can pardon him, the state should continue with the case.
He committed terrorism against the state how can an individual forgive him? Put him away.
Pakistan is the only country in the world where you can get away with MURDER !
Rule of Law supports terrorists & terrorism in Pakistan.
Those who are still supporting the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), they should also be send to the military court, indeed they don't want a peaceful Pakistan.
For God sake someone tell me, did this monster commit a crime against a State or not. How on earth he can be pardoned. Is there not a covenant between the State and the citizen that State will protect his/her right to life.
These kind of cases should be prosecuted by the State, and not the individuals.
This crime was not been committed against individual on personal enmity but the crime was committed against a community and State. Any one could have been the victim. This man does not deserve to be let off under the guise of Rule of Law. I am sure that the agreement has been reached between the plaintiff and the defendant under duress and threats of reprisal. High Court should take notice of this or his case should be transferred to Military Court.
There is more to it than meets the eye!
Good, send him to the military court who will order his exectution again!
No words, this country has no future.