ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain stopped on Tuesday implementation of the death sentence handed down to a paraplegic convict, Abdul Basit, for two months.
He also ordered an inquiry into the convict’s health.
Also read: Disabled man to be hanged as Pakistan nears 300th execution
Basit was scheduled to be executed on Wednesday.
A press release quoted President Hussain as observing that standards of human rights should not be compromised at any cost.
Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2015
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Comments (28) Closed
Philosopher (from Japan)
Nov 25, 2015 07:14am
A new chapter is being opened.
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Shahid
Nov 25, 2015 07:29am
Basit would surely be thanking God for this paraplegic condition. For him its better to live with paralyzed legs than to be hanged with the working ones. But the individual he killed is still dead, right?
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irshad
Nov 25, 2015 07:46am
It's good to hear that the President has postponed the execution. But I can't see what will change in two months as the convict is a permanently disabled person. It would, therefore, stand to reason to commute his sentence to life imprisonment. That would be the humane thing, besides saving the state a lot of time and money in the frequent review of his case.
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Saad
Nov 25, 2015 08:02am
Thank you Mr. President and ofcourse thank you Raheel Sharif
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M Jamal
Nov 25, 2015 08:16am
Commendable order but why we act on the last moment when the entire world has bashed us for our cruelty.
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Khan, Canada
Nov 25, 2015 08:25am
He had suffered enough. I think his sentence can be commuted to life imprisonment. .
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:O
Nov 25, 2015 08:43am
...I'm pleasantly surprised. Good move in the right direction!
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ayub
Nov 25, 2015 08:57am
It is a good decision. However, the grievances of the victim also need to be redressed.
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jit
Nov 25, 2015 09:07am
@ayub - Can't understand your laws. Why should the victim decide the quantum of the punishment ? What is the role of the judiciary then ?
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Sajid
Nov 25, 2015 09:28am
Confused, punishment was awarded for crime he did or you have to be walking talking. If any body on wheel chair kills innocent people he can get away because he is disabled.
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Mehak Gulab
Nov 25, 2015 09:32am
Atleast prayers of many of us were heard...
Life of a handicapped convict who could not stand on his feet at "phansi ghat" should not be hanged. The judge who passed verdict might review with due consideration. May god bless whoever stand for this right decision. In Pakistan many innocents are dragged into capital punishments due to circumstances as well as lack of education, poor moral values coupled by influence of bad examples. At least President Manmoon Hussien did exercised his power which allows us to keep our heads up!
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Khuram Nisar
Nov 25, 2015 09:37am
President should have been bold enough to keep Pakistan's stance against these so called human rights. Pakistan have its own problems and should have its own solutions. No comparison can be made with any developed country. Very few countries facing issues of terrorism, extortion and killing everyday like Pakistan.
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aKZIs
Nov 25, 2015 09:44am
All those who are happy on the halt of this execution, should think once, if GOD forbid this "disabled" person had harmed one of your families, should you still be happy today on his delay or escape from the death penalty?
Let's not be westernized, US also has death penalty in place, why can't all these European countries or humanitarian organisations stop US from carrying out the executions.
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Shehzad Ahmed
Nov 25, 2015 09:48am
His punishment can be changed to lif imprisonment. He has suffered a lot.
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khalid
Nov 25, 2015 09:53am
In Islamic law no one but the close family of the killed can forgive a killer.Not even the president.
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panda
Nov 25, 2015 11:09am
He deliberately murdered another human being, what makes in change of a position for him. Does hi sickness make him angel or murdered man an alive one.
A sin is sin
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Kamal Pasha
Nov 25, 2015 11:27am
@irshad, He should be pardoned on the health grounds otherwise government has to give him full medical treatment as long as he live.
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Arsalan
Nov 25, 2015 12:00pm
His bitterness of his crime can never be diluted, yet, a good decision as it will send a positive message to the world. But after seeing his picture, I think he should be transferred to a hospital. He is no flight risk.
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A Pakistani
Nov 25, 2015 12:27pm
@Khan, Canada
And life sentence is not suffering? What sort of logic is it?
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javed
Nov 25, 2015 12:55pm
Thank GOD for better sense prevailed. This might be the only positive thing coming from this office so far
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MAHMOOD RAZA BAIG
Nov 25, 2015 01:43pm
Definite wise to knower the situation, state show it responsibility.
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gemini
Nov 25, 2015 01:50pm
Well done president! Now that's leadership
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ak
Nov 25, 2015 02:17pm
The Pakistani state is responsible for the fact an able bodied prisoner is a paraplegic today. For that loss alone, the guys life should be spared now.
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Faizan (Dublin)
Nov 25, 2015 03:06pm
So many known culprits are roaming freely in the state and yet nobody even points their fingers on them like the most recent case of Zain murder and one that I still remember brutal killing of two brothers from Sialkot. See the facts from Abul Basit's case below: (BBC news)
1) Was convicted in 2009 for killing the uncle of a woman with whom he was accused of having a relationship
2) He denies murdering the man
3) In 2010, he contracted tubercular meningitis, was in a coma for several weeks and ended up being paralysed from the waist down
Abdul Basit (the above pictured) was convicted of murdering a man (not sure if that was proved even), contracted tuberculosis while in Jail and got paralysed afterwards (Who will be accountable for his paralysis) and still he in in Jail, been put on and off on the queue to get hanged.
This Man has suffered enough, People who say life imprisonment is the best option, I say No, it is not.
Reintroducing hanging law back in 2014 was for Terrorists!!!
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Younas
Nov 25, 2015 04:16pm
@FAIZAN well said.. we can't judge a book with it's front page
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MAK
Nov 25, 2015 04:34pm
Just want to know how many taliban's have been hanged out of 300 since executions started??? I am sure 95% of execution done to the civilians involved in 1 or murders for personal or some other reasons but what about taliban's who are mass murderers when they will be hanged??
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Surprised Observer
Nov 25, 2015 04:58pm
Isn't this discrimination against disabled people when you treat them differently? Treat him like you would any convicted murderer and hang him if that is the punishment.
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Ali S
Nov 25, 2015 06:38pm
Good decision. Even if he has to be executed, it should be through a more humane method like lethal injection - hanging a paraplegic is downright barbaric any way you look at it (what's next? Beheading women?).
It's a shame that small-time worthless criminals like this guy and Shafqat (who were convicted under a shaky legal process) are being eagerly hanged while Maulana Aziz of Lal Masjid freely preaches overthrowing the state in the heart of Peshawar. It's a slap on the face of the NAP.
Death penalty should only apply to terrorism offences, not to satisfy the public's bloodlust and divert attention from the main problem - the children who gave their lives at APS Peshawar deserve better than that.
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