Man convicted of murder, rape to be hanged today

HARIPUR: A convict, who was sentenced to death for raping and murdering his sister-in-law, would be hanged to death at the Haripur Central Prison on Wednesday morning, police and jail sources said on Tuesday.

According to the prosecution record, one Chanzeb hailing from Peshawar was arrested on charges of murdering his minor sister-in-law (wife’s sister) after raping her on February 10, 1996.

After a trial of two years, the district and sessions court in Peshawar had awarded him 25 years imprisonment on May 19, 1998. After exhausting the lower courts forum, the convict challenged his conviction in the Federal Shariat Court. However, after eight years the Federal Shariat Court announced its judgment on the appeal on January 31, 2006, wherein the convict’s life term was changed into the death penalty.

The convict filed an appeal with the Supreme Court but his death penalty was upheld. He finally prayed for clemency before the President of Pakistan through a petition, who according to record, also turned down his appeal.

The Home Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa issued his black warrant last week. The convict was allowed to have the last meeting with his family on Tuesday as he would be sent to the gallows at Haripur jail today (Wednesday) after the Fajr prayers, official sources said.