Executing criminals: Gallows set up at Faisalabad central jail

There are more than 400 prisoners on death row at the central jail, says jail spokesperson.

FAISALABAD:

A phansi ghaat (gallows) has been established at the Faisalabad central jail, spokesperson Akthar Ali told to The Express Tribune on Friday. He said that the Punjab Home Department had issued directives for the establishment of the gallows at the jail two years ago.

“However, the decision could not be implemented due a shortage of funds,” he said. “There are more than 400 prisoners on death row at the central jail. Whenever a black warrant is received, the convict has to be shifted to the Faisalabad district jail for execution.

A number of security steps have to be taken during the transfer of the convict,” he said. “Recently, eight convicts, Aqeel alias Dr Usman, Arshad Mehrban, Ghulam Sarwar Bhatti, Zubair Ahmed, Rashid Qureshi, Akhlaq Ahmed alias Roosi, Nawazish Ali and Muhammad Mushtaq were transferred from the central jail to the district jail for their execution,” he said. He said that phansi ghaat had been set up at Barrack 5 at an estimated cost of Rs1.3 million.

“A compound will also be constructed before the inauguration of the gallows platform in the central jail. Until then, the black warrants will be executed at Faisalabad district jail,” Ali said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2015.