GUJRAT, March 2: A man convicted of the murder of an army captain was hanged in a Gujrat Jail on Wednesday. His heirs pardoned another accused in the same case.

Gujrat Saddar police had registered a case against some men for killing Ataur Rahman during a robbery bid near Rahmania Bridge on Dec 15, 1997. Police later held accused Javed Rasheed and Azhar and registered a dacoity-cum-murder case against them.

An ATC of Gujranwala awarded death sentence to both the accused in 1998. The LHC and the Supreme Court also upheld the decision while the president also rejected their mercy appeals. Later, Gujranwala ATC Judge Mujahid Mustaqeem issued black warrants for execution on March 2.

The heirs pardoned Azhar when his family assured them under oath that he was innocent. Family members of Javed Rasheed said they had also tried to asked the captain's family to pardon him but to no avail. Magistrate Chaudhry Rizwan confirmed that Azhar had been pardoned and the matter conveyed to the higher authorities and jail staff.