Pak executes 2 militants after lifting ban on death penalty

Islamabad, December 19

Pakistani authorities tonight executed two men convicted for attacks on the army headquarters and former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, days after Pakistan lifted its moratorium on the death penalty.

The two are among 17 terrorists who would be executed in the first phase after the end of self-imposed moratorium by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the wake of Tuesday's Peshawar massacre.

Aqeel, alias Dr Usman, was injured and captured alive during the attack at Rawalpindi's Army General Headquarters in 2009 and sentenced to death, while Arshad Mehmood, also known as Mehrban, was convicted for an assassination attempt on former president and army chief Musharraf.

Major private TV channels including Geo and Dunya TV reported that both Aqeel and Mehmood were hanged at about 9 pm (local time) in Faisalabad jail.

Medical check-up of both militants was conducted and they were allowed to record their last will before executions. No official was immediately available to comment on the executions. — PTI