DAWN

PAKISTAN: 2 Afghan nationals hanged

2 Afghan nationals were hanged in Central Jail, Much, on Tuesday morning for murdering 3 people, including the founder of Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan (RAWA), 15 years ago in Quetta.

 The Supreme Court awarded death sentence to Ahmed Sultan and Mohammad Humayan on an appeal filed by Rawa against the verdict of Balochistan High Court and Additional District Sessions Court, Quetta.

 Additional District and Sessions Judge, Quetta, had awarded them 50 years' rigorous imprisonment each with heavy fines. However, the Rawa members approached the Balochistan High Court and filed a petition demanding death sentence for them. 

The high court, after hearing the petition, upheld the decision of the sessions court.

 After losing the legal battle in the high court, Rawa filed another petition in the Supreme Court which accepted their plea and awarded capital punishment to Ahmed Sultan and Mohammad Humayun.

 The relatives of both the accused, after the Supreme Court verdict, tried to resolve the issue according to tribal traditions and customs but Rawa and affected families refused to compromise with the accused. In the course of tribal efforts the accused also filed mercy petitions to the President of Pakistan. President Gen Pervez Musharraf rejected their petition.

 The Provincial Home Department issued their black warrants last week and fixed May 7, for their execution. The relatives of the condemned accused had a last meeting with them on Monday evening in the Much Jail.

 They were hanged early on Tuesday morning in the presence of 3 women members of Rawa.