To the gallows: Black warrant issued for murder convict

Prisoner’s mercy petition was rejected by the president a few days ago

HARIPUR: A black warrant has been issued for a Haripur prison inmate convicted of murder; he will be put to death within seven days, insiders familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune.

According to official sources, the home department issued a black warrant for Shamsul Islam on Friday. The Charsadda resident was sentenced to death by the district court over eight years ago for murdering a young boy.

He challenged his conviction in the high court and later the Supreme Court but his death penalty was upheld by both courts. After exhausting all forums of appeals, the condemned prisoner moved a mercy petition to the office of the President of Pakistan. However, that too was turned down a few days ago, said insiders.

Following the rejection of his mercy petition, the provincial home department issued his black warrant.

According to an official of the prison department, they have written to the office of IG Prisons to shift Islam to his native district for the execution. Insiders said although gallows were constructed at Haripur Central Prison a couple of months ago, the administration would prefer to send him to Charsadda. However, the final decision in this regard would be taken by IG Prisons and home department.

The prisoner would be allowed a last meeting with his family in the next few days.

Being one of the biggest jails of the province, Haripur Central Prison holds over 140 condemned prisoners. Earlier, Niaz Muhammad, convicted in the attack on former president General Pervez Musharraf, was also taken to Peshawar and hanged on January 1st.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2015.