RIYADH: Saudi authorities beheaded by the sword on Wednesday a Pakistani convicted of smuggling heroin, the Saudi interior ministry said.
Wajid Ali Zarnoosh was found guilty of trafficking heroin into Saudi Arabia, the ministry said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency.
His beheading in Qatif, Eastern Province, brings to 50 the number of people executed in the ultra-conservative kingdom this year.
In 2012, the Gulf country put to death 76 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Human Rights Watch has put the number at 69.
Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Saudi Arabia's strict Islamic laws.
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Comments (19) Closed
Siddique Malik
Jun 05, 2013 09:32pm
I am against death penalty. Even if I was not against it, I would question keeping a long list of capital crimes. Saudi Arabia says it has Islamic laws. Islam does not prescribe capital punishment for drug-related crimes. How can Saudi Arabia then justify decapitating prisoners for any crime, the country's religiously driven establishment thinks should be a capital crime. Then, of course, there is the matter of judicial integrity. Was the executed man provided robust defense? I seriously doubt it. Of course, no Pakistani government will have the courage to talk to its Saudi masters about this injustice and other similar acts of injustice against helpless Pakistanis found entangled in similar cases. I suspect, most of the times, they are framed by bigger fish that go free.
Siddique Malik, Louisville, Kentucky, USA,
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Tamilselvan
Jun 05, 2013 10:00pm
Since Saudi discriminates people based on religion should the punishment according to Quran be applied to muslims only? If a non muslim cannot build their place of worship and visit some of their cities etc should the laws and punishment too be based on religion
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Asit Ghosh, Mumbai
Jun 05, 2013 10:45pm
Pakistan should have no problem with this Islamic Rule.
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Guest63
Jun 05, 2013 10:50pm
When you decide to play with the fire , rest assured you will burn yourself . I have no sympathy nor any remorse to read this news that Another Pakistan got caught and lost his life . he knew it too well that what he was doing would end up this way so nether can he nor his family nor any Pakistani national , can blame the laws of the land called Saudi Arabia , nor thy can claim to be victim by any yardstick . As you ssow so shall you reap , wajid ali zarnoosh , knew what he was doing by indulging in that activity , he was explicitly involved in bringing death to many people in KSA .
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Kafirgirl
Jun 06, 2013 01:36am
Islamic Republic Of Pakistan, Zindabaad.
Must be a Hindu, Jews or Christian conspiracy to defame a good Pakistani Muslim.
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Amir
Jun 06, 2013 03:17am
Islamic laws are only meant for people from poor countries. Is drug smuggling punishable by beheading according Islamic laws? I don't think so. What is the government of RSA, Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Islamic? I don't think so.
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El Cid
Jun 06, 2013 04:14am
Please don't not attribute this murder, atrocity...the unjust killing of a human being as Islamic or Shariah. This is NOT Islamic Law. It is NOT in the Noble Qur'an.
Please be assured that Saudi Arabia is NOT a country run under Shariah Jurisprudence. They are following Saudi Law. Caricature of Pagan Law. Saudi's follow a Pagan Cult garbed as Islam. It has NOTHING to do with Islam. This execution is NOT justifiable under Islam...by any stretch of the imagination. Let them even think of trying this with an America, a white American...see what happens.
Saudis are the ultimate hypocrites described in the Noble Qur'an. They are the shame of humanity, nemesis of Muslims, and all good sense.
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gangadin
Jun 06, 2013 04:37am
Well done. Pakistan should do that too.
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Isadora
Jun 06, 2013 04:54am
@Asit Ghosh, Mumbai:
We all should question each and every fact when a person is beheaded.
If the state has the power to kill, oppression of the people might just follow, if it hasn't already.
To accept blindly is to invite ruin - in my opinion.
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Isadora
Jun 06, 2013 04:56am
@Siddique Malik:
As a fellow American, I like the way your mind works.
I love God very much, but I wouldn't follow blindly what people tell me they do in the name of God.
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Kabir
Jun 06, 2013 05:00am
This is barbaric. You can not execute some one with sword in 21st century. Death penalty needs to be abolished from all over the world. Since DNA test started, here in US so far they have found 183 people were convicted wrongfully and were released from jail. Some of them were sentenced to death. Saudis are unhuman and barbaric people. uneducated and uncivilized people. Three months back they beheaded a 17 years old SriLankan poor girl without showing any mercy to that poor family. I have visited Arab countries extensively & found them to be most barbaric people on the face of earth. Why you think every Prophet was send upon them and not any where else? To teach these camels how to live in civil soceity. Saudis are the biggest problem for Muslims all over the world.
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ahmed
Jun 06, 2013 05:49am
Alhamdolillah...... Obedience to law is mandatory... In US there are several examples where people have been shot death for disobeying police commands. This is how you maintain law & order. Had we behead Zarnoosh's of Pakistan we would not have had Klashinkov culture or disrespect for law. May Allah forgive the soul with His blessings... Ameen .
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ahmed
Jun 06, 2013 05:53am
@Siddique Malik:
When were you in Pakistan last? Zarnoosh's of the world has destroyed Pakistan. Wish we had similar laws in Pakistan.
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rafiq
Jun 06, 2013 06:14am
they would never execute any Brit or US for such crime
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Saeed
Jun 06, 2013 06:29am
@Siddique Malik:
How about America say nothing about this injustice regarding human rights. May be same reason Pakistan have .
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UlHaq
Jun 06, 2013 06:37am
There is a general consensus in the world that the prosecution system in Saudi Arabia is full of faults and is highly biased against non-Saudis. A case in point is the recent execution of a Sri Lankan child-maid. I have met with a number of laborers who goes to Saudi Arabia for work and a majority of them can't even read or write. They usually becomes innocent victims of some drug gangs. I am 99% sure this was another innocent man, who became a victim of Saudi brutality. We cry when terrorists are killed in drone attacks but have no problem when innocent Pakistanis are mercilessly executed in Saudi Arabia!!!
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Syed Husain
Jun 06, 2013 06:40am
These strict laws are for the commoners and the foreigners and do not apply to the anyone from the royal family.
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GS
Jun 06, 2013 06:57am
@Siddique Malik:
You have put your point across very well, Then again I feel if Wajid was not a habitual offender, he very much deserved a second chance.
Life must be preserved and enjoyed to the fullest by all mankind, such social norms where it advocates the need of taking it away is against the very basic essence of human existence.
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Hussain
Jun 06, 2013 07:22am
@Guest63:
The laws should apply on ruling family too and not on public only.
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