17 November 2004	Wednesday	04 Shawwal 1425

PESHAWAR, Nov 16: A woman on death row has been awaiting decision on her appeal for the last four years. Ms Shehnaz, who was convicted for killing her husband, Ibrar Ahmad, has a daughter who lives in prison with her mother.

The woman is waiting for the fixation of her case before a full bench of the Federal Shariat Court.

Since January last year no hearing has taken place in her appeal. She has been in the Kohat Prison since 1996.

A court in Kohat had sentenced Ms Shehnaz, along with another accused, Aamir, who was stated to be a nephew of her husband's, on October 3, 2000.

They had filed appeals against the conviction before the Peshawar High Court. In April 2002, a two-member bench of the high court transferred their appeals to the Federal Shariat Court as they had also been charged under the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance, 1979.

Under the rules only the Shariat Court is empowered to hear their appeals.

In January last year a full bench of the Shariat Court took up the appeals of Ms Shehnaz and Mr Aamir for preliminary hearing.

The woman had adopted the plea that as she had children from her deceased husband, therefore under the Qisas and Diyat law she could not be awarded death penalty.

The Shariat Court had directed the deputy advocate-general to conduct an inquiry. Since then, she has been waiting for fixation of her case.