HARIPUR: Malik Khurram, 35, who had hacked his friend to death, was hanged in the Haripur Central Prison on Thursday.

He was the first-ever prisoner who had been put to gallows in the 83-year history of Haripur prison. In the past, the prisoners awaiting execution would be taken to the Abbottabad prison for hanging.

The district and sessions judge, Mansehra, had awarded death sentence to Khurram in 1999 for killing his friend Ejaz Goga. He had hacked Mr Goga to death and then dumped pieces of his body in various parts of Mansehra city.

Khurram spent 18 years in Haripur and Mansehra prisons. The prison authorities had called Sadiq Masih, a hangman, from Peshawar to put Khurram to gallows at 4:30am in the presence of duty magistrate Mian Zahidullah Jan and doctors Ejaz and Iqbal. Later, his body was handed over to his family elders.

Since its establishment in 1932, Haripur prison has had neither gallows nor separate section for female prisoners. According to unconfirmed reports, the lady who had donated land for the construction of prison was opposed to death sentence.

In his will, Khurram has proposed to his elders to initiate a settlement with the Goga’s family. According to the will, he has also gifted a piece of land to his sister.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2015

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