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Published 15 Oct, 2015 10:49am

Killer of ex-Punjab CM, five others executed in various jails

MULTAN/RAWALPINDI/DERA GHAZI KHAN/LAHORE: Zaman alias Zamani, the man convicted of killing former Punjab chief minister Ghulam Haider Wyne, was hanged in Multan Thursday, almost 22 years after the latter was shot dead at an election rally. Five other convicted men were also hanged in three jails in Punjab, DawnNews reported.

Death-row inmate Zamani was executed in Multan Central Jail. He was convicted of murdering Wyne during an election rally in Punjab's Mianchannu tehsil in September 1993.

Wyne was a Pakistan Muslim League (PML) leader who rose to the position of Punjab chief minister in 1990.

Meanwhile, two prisoners were hanged in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail for murder. Inmate Zareen was accused of killing two brothers in Murree whereas Rab Nawaz was found guilty of murdering a man in Royal Artillery Bazaar in the garrison city.

Furthermore, in Dera Ghazi Khan's Central Jail, two brothers — Ghulam Akbar and Hazoor Buksh — convicted of the murders of two men were executed. The murders were committed in 1996.

Separately, murder convict Abdul Sami was hanged in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail. His black warrants were issued on Tuesday after he was found guilty of killing a man over a petty dispute.

Earlier on Tuesday, at least eight convicted prisoners were hanged in Punjab for murders.

Over 200 prisoners have been executed since Pakistan lifted its moratorium on the death penalty in all capital cases on March 10 this year.

Supporters of the measure argue that death penalty is the only effective way to deal with the scourge of militancy in the country. However, critics say the legal system is ineffective, with rampant police torture, poor representation for victims and unfair trials.

Also read: In Pakistan execution drive, militants are a minority

Initially executions were resumed for terrorism offences only in the wake of a Taliban massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar which had claimed the lives of over 150 persons, mostly schoolchildren, on Dec 16, 2014.

The United Nations, the European Union, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called on Pakistan to re-impose its moratorium on the death penalty.

—With additional reporting by Tauqeer Ghumman

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