Two more convicted terrorists affiliated with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi were hanged on Tuesday morning at the central prison in Karachi. Attaullah alias Qasim and Mohammad Azam alias Sharif were sentenced to death for killing Dr Ali Raza Peerani in June 2001 in Karachi's Soldier Bazaar area.
Strict security measures were taken inside and around the prison. All roads leading towards the central prison were also blocked and heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies were deployed to avert any untoward incident. An anti-terrorism court (ATC) had declared both of them guilty of the murder in July 2004. The convicts' appeals against capital punishment had been turned down by the Sindh High Court and later the Supreme Court of Pakistan. President Mamnoon Hussain had also dismissed their mercy petitions.
Black warrants for the execution of the two condemned prisoners were issued on January 24 on a request of jail authorities. The trial court had asked jail officials to carry out the hanging under the supervision of a judicial magistrate on Tuesday. Following the trial court's order, the convicts held their last meetings with their families.