PESHAWAR, June 6: A man sentenced to death on two counts was executed here at the Central Prison early Tuesday morning. Judicial Magistrate Ziaur Rehman administered the execution. Prison officials, including Superintendent Khalid Abbas, were also present on the occasion.

Before he was hanged, the convict, Mawas Khan, told prison officials that it was his fate and nobody could alter it. In his will, he advised his family members to try to arrange a compromise with the rival family.

Mawas Khan was charged with killing two brothers, Mahmood Khan and Bukhtiar Khan. The FIR of the case was registered on Oct 7, 1997, by Mahmood’s son, Murtaza Mahmood, who had also been injured in the incident. The motive behind the killing was stated to be property.

The accused was convicted by an additional district and sessions judge on Dec 23, 2002 and was sentenced to death on two counts. The Peshawar High Court upheld his sentence on May 14, 2003, and a full bench of the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal on Oct 29, 2003. His clemency petition was rejected by the President of Pakistan.

A few months back the convict’s father tried to persuade the complainant family to forgive him under provisions of the Qisas and Diyat law. On their refusal to pardon him, the convict’s family members attacked the residence of the complainant killing two of his close relatives.