Zulfikar Ali's Execution Halted, Dar Tells Senate

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Zulfikar Ali's execution halted, Dar tells Senate

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th july, 2016) : Minister for Finance and Revenue Mohammad Ishaq Dar Friday informed the Senate that the Indonesian government has halted the execution of Pakistani national Zulfikar Ali, who was facing death penalty there. On a Point of Order, the Minister said, the issue was raised in the Senate on Thursday the Foreign Office told him that the execution had been halted after the issue was raised with the Indonesian authorities. He said that Foreign Office and the Prime Minister's Office did intervene in the matter soon after the issue surfaced.

He said that he was also personally following the issue. Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani appreciated personal interest and efforts of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the case.

According to Foreign Office, Syed Zulfiqar Ali, a Pakistani national, was arrested on drug trafficking charges from Bogor, Indonesia, in November 2004.

The District Court awarded him death sentence in 2005 and the higher court upheld the decision of the district court in 2006. The charges were framed against Zulfiqar Ali on the basis of a statement given by a single witness, who was himself sentenced to death.

Zulfiqar Ali's two appeals for judicial review, first in 2008 and again in 2013, were turned down and he had filed a clemency/mercy appeal with the Indonesian President.