HARIPUR, Sept 5: A prisoner, on death row until recently, has acquired higher education during his time in the Haripur central prison.

Sohail Fida of Mingora was a first-year student when he was sentenced to death in July 2002 in a murder case despite being a juvenile. He passed intermediate in first division during his trial which started in April 2000.

He got BA and MA (International Relations) degrees from the Hazara University while serving time on the death row.

The man, who has now turned 24, is preparing for final exams of MA History. He also did Urdu and Arabic proficiency courses.

He improved his spoken English because of interaction with two South African jail mates.

Mr Fida is now working on a book, “Takhta-i-Dar Kay Pulsirat Se”, a collection of letters he wrote to his family from the death cell.

Last month, the Federal Shariat Court commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment. He is now working as a teacher in the juvenile section’s school.