Amid tight security: Two more death row convicts executed

First hanging carried out in Faisalabad central jail.

FAISALABAD: Two convicts on death row were hanged in Faisalabad Central Jail on Friday, taking the number of executions to 27 since the country lifted the moratorium on the death penalty.

Tight security arrangements were in place around the prison, where new gallows have been set up for carrying out executions. Earlier, the prisoners had to be taken to Faisalabad District Jail for hangings, the jail spokesman told the media.

Because extraordinary security measures had to be taken during the shifting of high-profile criminals, the jail authorities established the gallows at the central jail following approval from the Punjab government.



One of the executed prisoners, Sajid Fazal Kareem alias Tahir alias Taro, a resident of Chak No 138 GB Sammundri, had been sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court about 13 years ago for killing a female relative, Shahida Aziz, and seriously injuring another man Muhammad Azhar.

The second convict, Muhammad Akhtar alias Haseena, who lived in Chak No 255-RB, was sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court for raping a woman and killing a man, Manzoor Ahmad, about 15 years ago. One of the death sentences was abolished after Akhtar was forgiven by the relatives of Ahmad but his capital punishment under terrorism charges remained in place.

The apex court had upheld the decisions of the lower courts. Their mercy petitions had also been turned down by the president.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2015.