Ikram Lahori faces execution again

E-Paper | July 14, 2026

FAISALABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) turned down on Monday the out-of-court settlement of death row prisoner Ikramul Haq, alias Lahori.

On Jan 8, the execution of Lahori was halted at the eleventh hour at the Kot Lakhpat jail, Lahore, when his family informed the judicial magistrate that the aggrieved party had pardoned him.

Read: Confusion persists over hanging of SSP activist as parties 'reach compromise'

The reported settlement was referred back to the ATC for its confirmation.

Lahori was handed down death sentence in 2001 by a special anti-terrorism court of Faisalabad for murdering Nayyar Abbas. Altaf Husain Shah is a plaintiff in this case.

Explore: Call to repeal Qisas, Diyat ordinance

The judge scrapped the settlement as out of eight family members of Abbas, his two brothers and a sister appeared before the judge. The court will issue fresh death warrants only when the superintendent of the central jail seeks them.

Published in Dawn January 13th , 2014

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syed hasan

Jan 13, 2015 08:55am

good decision.

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@expat

Jan 13, 2015 09:16am

Out of court settlements should not be allowed in cases of crimes against community in the name of religion,sectarianism.Additionally ,no out of the court settlement for rape,gang rape,kidnapping ,murder for ransom.

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Paggri Sanbhaal

Jan 13, 2015 09:42am

Thanks God.Respect for the Judge.

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RealDeal

Jan 13, 2015 11:19am

Thats what I said in my comments earlier as well - in cases of terrorism ("fasaad fil arz") state becomes the party against the defendent so the pardon has to come from the state not the deceased family members ! Good decision. It seems now the state is waking up to its responsibilities....the same state that was in deep slumber in last 6 or 7 years.

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atif

Jan 13, 2015 11:22am

About time.... it all depend if family was forced to forgive him or they did it on their own I will pick they were forced and threatened. Thatso why judge n turned it down but if they did forgive him then he shouldn't be hang. It's my opnion.

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Husain Jan

Jan 13, 2015 11:27am

Fresh death warrant to be issued only when the jail superintendent seeks it !!! But why so ? ATC must issue death warrants on its own and at its earliest. Why wait for request from jail? Due to various / any reason if the request does not come soon from jail then what ? Does it not mean that the death convict's men are again being allowed time / chance to pressurise the family / heirs of victims again to settle the issue out of court thus giving a chance to Lahori to escape hanging ?? If the out of court settlement is rejected by ATC then why let the issue linger on indefinitely and why not issue death warrants for immediate hanging ??

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AdHawk

Jan 13, 2015 11:38am

Everywhere else in the world murder is prosecuted as a crime against the state. For the simple reason that if the perpetrator was allowed to roam free he could very well do it again. All very logical, which of course means that the opposite is the norm in Pakistan.

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old guy

Jan 13, 2015 12:11pm

may God protect this judge.

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mirza

Jan 13, 2015 12:20pm

Out of court settlement and Qisas law needs overhaul.

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Haikim

Jan 13, 2015 12:22pm

No more fooling around about this monster, he should have been buried alive. His was responsible of so many murders of innocent people. Anyone protecting and using the rubbish laws or forgiving murderers are equally responsible of destroying Pakistan

Recommend 0

Shak

Jan 13, 2015 12:52pm

It is clear to see from at least two posts here, satisfaction expressed over the judge's decision. Just goes to show, how one upmanship on sectarian matters dictate our life and sense of achievement over anything else.

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Husain Jan

Jan 13, 2015 12:55pm

Why did the magistrate saheb postpone the hanging in the first place ? He should have known that an ATC convict can not be pardoned by the aggrieved party. Since the terrorists are considered as having committed crime against the nation so victims family have no right to involve in out of court settlement. Lahori must be hanged before it is too late...before either he kills himself in prison or is got released by goons of the banned outfit.

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Well Wisher

Jan 13, 2015 01:06pm

Can we overhaul our legal system? This is the job of MNA's / MPA's but they seem to be running full time after development funds, trying to grab part of these funds as commission / kickbacks. Development funds belong to the local governments, which none of the two major provinces are allowing to take place on one or other pretext.

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Riaz

Jan 13, 2015 01:06pm

@AdHawk It is allowed as per religion; and no one should question others' religion please. Can only be done if family of the accused agrees in murder cases; not allowed in cases relating terrorism. This law has always been there and was also used for acquittal of a US citizen too, who killed innocent Pakistanis in Lahore. Why no one had the courage to question this provision of law at that time; why now. HYPOCRISY at its best.

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Reader

Jan 13, 2015 01:08pm

In another shameful out of court settlement in Rawalpindi a rapist of four to five girls and murderer of two of them was pardoned by family members of a victim. She was burnt after rape & murder. This is miscarriage of justice and should never be allowed. I don't know what are our parliamentarians are doing???

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atif

Jan 13, 2015 01:08pm

the lawyer of akram lahori must be booked for giving false information regarding pardon

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kuriouskat

Jan 13, 2015 01:11pm

finally sense prevails!

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Husain Jan

Jan 13, 2015 01:20pm

@atif Victim's family may have the right to pardon the killer ..but only in case of murder due to personal enmity. In this particular case Nayyar Abbas was killed on sectarian grounds which is an act of terrorism and crime against the nation. In view thereof no one should have the right to pardon the terrorist(s). The law needs to be clearly defined for all to know, especially the magistrates so that no hanging is unduly postponed in future.

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Akram

Jan 13, 2015 01:54pm

Hang him, they have obviously threatened the other family. These terrorists are only going to go about spewing more hate and creating more terrorism if he is released. Hang him and be done with him, he chose his path. Now he must face the consequences. This is what traitors deserve.

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Stargazer

Jan 13, 2015 01:57pm

A good decision. Just do it

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muhammad

Jan 13, 2015 02:40pm

Ikram lahori has killed many more innocent people though he was convicted only in one case obviously the reasons best known to all in Pakistan

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Gavin

Jan 13, 2015 03:19pm

Terrorist don't give you time to think they act , our courts should just act and not play around with Media . There are 8000 on death row at this rate it will take years to clear the back lot . We must execute 90 terrorist a day for next 90 days to clear the 8000 . Don't blink with fear , Don't think just hang them with the same animal spirit let them know you mean business

Recommend 0

Riaz

Jan 13, 2015 03:37pm

@mirza Did you say that when an American benefited from this law?

Recommend 0

kaka

Jan 13, 2015 04:26pm

Great inspirational move

Recommend 0

S. A. M.

Jan 13, 2015 04:30pm

we as nation don't want him pardoned and seek immediate hanging of the criminal. Heirs have no right to pardon the criminal who is a big risk for the members of our society including children women and the elderlies

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Fayyaz

Jan 13, 2015 11:22pm

Classic example of weak institutions which play Mickey Mouse games with each other. If a death warrant had been issued then it should have been executed in the first instant without the interference of Judicial Magistrate. A brutal murderer deserves the gallows and hope this time without any further delay the punishment will be carried out.

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Emjay

Jan 14, 2015 09:34am

This pardon law needs to go. Because of this Raymond Davis was freed. He should have been hanged right there and then. Same goes for the likes of Lahori, etc. Parliament needs to start working to repeal it.

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AMER RAO

Jan 14, 2015 09:35am

Pakistan Zindabad

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Concerned citizen

Jan 14, 2015 11:24am

He should be hanged immediately. He killed innocent people. Destroyed lives and families that still suffer. Kids are raised without their fathers and women widowed at young age. This guy is a devil. He appears one too. Unfortunately the system in country will never change.

Recommend 0

Hameed Ajmal Sheikh

Jan 14, 2015 12:50pm

It is a real cruel joke to make the relatives of Murdered person to agree to forgive in return of large amount of money.How can it be justified as a whole.It will allow all rich criminals to murder anybody and then force the blood relatives to pardon him in lieu of money and also threatening to kill them if they donnt agree.The State should never allow to get the crime wiped out in the shadow of Islamic laws.

Recommend 0

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