President rejects mercy pleas of five death row convicts involved in brutal crimes

Islamabad: President Dr Arif Alvi has rejected the mercy petitions of five prisoners who had been given death sentences after the charges of brutal crimes were proved against them.

The media wing of the President House on Wednesday said that President Alvi rejected the mercy petitions of Muhammad Shaban s/o Muhammad Anwar (rape and murder of a three-year-old girl), Muhammad Imran s/o Faqir Muhammad (murder of wife and two daughters with a butcher’s knife over domestic dispute), Muhammad Afzal s/o Muhammad Asghar Ali (murder of eight family members including parents and six siblings) and Muhammad Akbar and Muhammad Asghar s/o Muhammad Akram (murder of two persons over minor dispute).

The president rejected the petitions under Article 45 of the Constitution which provides that the President shall have the power to grant pardon, reprieve, and respite, and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal, or other authority.