CILACAP: The execution of Zulfiqar Ali, a Pakistani national who was on death row in Indonesia, has been halted, on early Friday.

He was convicted of drug-related charges in a controversial trial.

Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said in a Tweet a last-ditch attempt by her father to convince Indonesian authorities to halt Ali's execution proved effective "despite [a] bleak chance of success".

However Indonesian authorities executed one local and three Nigerian drug convicts by firing squad, an official said. They were put to death shortly after midnight, Noor Rachmad, deputy attorney general for general crimes, told reporters.

He did not say why 10 other drug convicts, who had been expected to face the firing squad, were not executed.

Indonesian television networks say the government has carried out executions of people convicted of drug crimes.

Three networks said Friday the executions occurred out at the Nusa Kambangan prison island.

Indonesia's attorney-general had stated earlier this week that 14 people, mostly foreigners, would be executed.

Relatives, rights groups and foreign governments had urged Indonesia to spare the lives of the 14.

It is the third set of executions under President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo who was elected in 2014 and campaigned on promises to improve human rights in Indonesia.

Earlier, the family of Ali had carried out a protest in Lahore on Wednesday against his imminent execution.

Pakistan had been angered about the planned execution of Ali — whom rights groups claim was beaten into confessing — and summoned Indonesia's ambassador in Islamabad this week to convey their concerns.

Opinion

Editorial

Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...
Provincial share
Updated 17 Mar, 2024

Provincial share

PPP has aptly advised Centre to worry about improving its tax collection rather than eying provinces’ share of tax revenues.
X-communication
17 Mar, 2024

X-communication

IT has now been a month since Pakistani authorities decided that the country must be cut off from one of the...
Stateless humanity
17 Mar, 2024

Stateless humanity

THE endless hostility between India and Pakistan has reduced prisoners to mere statistics. Although the two ...