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Aftab Bahadur’s killing is not only tragic, it is perverse Aftab Bahadur’s killing is not only tragic, it is perverse
(35 minutes later)
Aftab Bahadur was hanged at Central Jail Lahore (Kot Lakhpat), in the early hours of this morning. He was executed for a crime that took place on 5 September 1992, where a woman – Sabiha Bari – and her two sons were murdered. Ghulam Mustafa, a plumber with whom Aftab worked as an apprentice, was arrested early in the morning of 6 September 1992, and implicated Aftab under torture. Ghulam was set to die on Wednesday as well, but after recanting his statement – and saying that Aftab had nothing to do with the crime – was pardoned.Aftab Bahadur was hanged at Central Jail Lahore (Kot Lakhpat), in the early hours of this morning. He was executed for a crime that took place on 5 September 1992, where a woman – Sabiha Bari – and her two sons were murdered. Ghulam Mustafa, a plumber with whom Aftab worked as an apprentice, was arrested early in the morning of 6 September 1992, and implicated Aftab under torture. Ghulam was set to die on Wednesday as well, but after recanting his statement – and saying that Aftab had nothing to do with the crime – was pardoned.
According to Aftab, when he was arrested the police asked for a 50,000-rupee bribe and said they would let him go if he paid. As a plumber’s apprentice, Aftab said he could not pay. The only “eyewitness” to the crime who testified against Aftab recently made a statement before a religious minister that he was coerced into his testimony, that he was not even there, and that he certainly did not see Aftab commit the crime.According to Aftab, when he was arrested the police asked for a 50,000-rupee bribe and said they would let him go if he paid. As a plumber’s apprentice, Aftab said he could not pay. The only “eyewitness” to the crime who testified against Aftab recently made a statement before a religious minister that he was coerced into his testimony, that he was not even there, and that he certainly did not see Aftab commit the crime.
Related: My 22 years on Pakistan’s death row could end this week. What purpose will my execution serve? | Aftab BahadurRelated: My 22 years on Pakistan’s death row could end this week. What purpose will my execution serve? | Aftab Bahadur
Aftab insisted his innocence throughout his 22 years on death row, as he wrote in this piece published yesterday
The hangman’s gibbet is a barbarism. But somewhere in the depths below this medieval practice, there is a level of perversity that defies my descriptive ability.The hangman’s gibbet is a barbarism. But somewhere in the depths below this medieval practice, there is a level of perversity that defies my descriptive ability.
At 59 minutes after midnight BST, it was confirmed that Aftab Bahadur, who wrote so eloquently on this site just yesterday, had been hanged in Central Jail Lahore (Kot Lakhpat) in Pakistan. That moment encapsulated the simple barbarism of the death penalty. Waiting by the telephone, several thousand miles away, I was overcome by sadness, the diminishing moment when any life is senselessly taken. I have watched six men die in the execution chamber over the years, each one sacrificed to the neolithic notion that we can teach people that killing is wrong by killing people.At 59 minutes after midnight BST, it was confirmed that Aftab Bahadur, who wrote so eloquently on this site just yesterday, had been hanged in Central Jail Lahore (Kot Lakhpat) in Pakistan. That moment encapsulated the simple barbarism of the death penalty. Waiting by the telephone, several thousand miles away, I was overcome by sadness, the diminishing moment when any life is senselessly taken. I have watched six men die in the execution chamber over the years, each one sacrificed to the neolithic notion that we can teach people that killing is wrong by killing people.
Look into Aftab’s eyes as he half-smiles in the last photograph we will ever see of him: what went through his mind as the hangman placed the hood over his head? I shudder as I imagine how his body fell through the trap door, and juddered to a ghastly death at the end of the rope … to what. But that sickening tragedy was compounded by the perverse: At the very last minute – long past the 11th hour – the complaining witness had come to the jail and forgiven Aftab’s co-defendant, Ghulam Mustafa, whose life was therefore spared even as Bahadur dangled, twisting on the noose.Look into Aftab’s eyes as he half-smiles in the last photograph we will ever see of him: what went through his mind as the hangman placed the hood over his head? I shudder as I imagine how his body fell through the trap door, and juddered to a ghastly death at the end of the rope … to what. But that sickening tragedy was compounded by the perverse: At the very last minute – long past the 11th hour – the complaining witness had come to the jail and forgiven Aftab’s co-defendant, Ghulam Mustafa, whose life was therefore spared even as Bahadur dangled, twisting on the noose.
Related: Pakistan executes man who was 15 when sentenced to death
I am glad that mercy was shown to Ghulam. I am glad that he will wake up today, alive to the fact that he will (I hope) die ages and ages hence, and from natural causes, rather than last night on Aftab’s noose. However, this does not dissolve the disgraceful caprice of the Pakistani hangman.I am glad that mercy was shown to Ghulam. I am glad that he will wake up today, alive to the fact that he will (I hope) die ages and ages hence, and from natural causes, rather than last night on Aftab’s noose. However, this does not dissolve the disgraceful caprice of the Pakistani hangman.
Consider the facts: a few days ago, the “eye witness” whose testimony placed Aftab on death row had recanted in front of a religious minister, saying that the police had forced him to say that he had seen Aftab commit the murder. The witness, infirm and perhaps close to death himself, could not live any longer with what he had done. His original perjury meant that Aftab, just 15 years old when he was convicted in 1993, had spent more than 22 years on death row. Yet the Pakistani legal system was not willing to show mercy based on the truth that the case against Aftab had been falsified.Consider the facts: a few days ago, the “eye witness” whose testimony placed Aftab on death row had recanted in front of a religious minister, saying that the police had forced him to say that he had seen Aftab commit the murder. The witness, infirm and perhaps close to death himself, could not live any longer with what he had done. His original perjury meant that Aftab, just 15 years old when he was convicted in 1993, had spent more than 22 years on death row. Yet the Pakistani legal system was not willing to show mercy based on the truth that the case against Aftab had been falsified.
At the last minute Aftab’s co-defendant, Ghulam Mustafa, was forgiven and therefore spared even as Aftab dangled
This was only the tip of the horror. Aftab’s legal team also sought permission to meet with Ghulam so that he could sign the statement he had offered – that Aftab was innocent of the crime, and that he (Ghulam) had falsely implicated him. But the authorities confected the case against Aftab, and the authorities did not allow the legal team the opportunity to have Ghulam sign the affidavit that further demonstrated Aftab’s innocence.This was only the tip of the horror. Aftab’s legal team also sought permission to meet with Ghulam so that he could sign the statement he had offered – that Aftab was innocent of the crime, and that he (Ghulam) had falsely implicated him. But the authorities confected the case against Aftab, and the authorities did not allow the legal team the opportunity to have Ghulam sign the affidavit that further demonstrated Aftab’s innocence.
Related: Pakistan executes man who was 15 when sentenced to death
I am morally opposed to executing even the guilty. Soon enough, when my rational mind catches up with my emotions, I will rejoice at the mercy shown to Ghulam. But I – like most people – am aghast when an innocent person dies. I have been responsible for such a horror myself, when my own inexperience led to the execution of Edward Earl Johnson on 20 May, 1987, a catastrophe immortalised in the BBC documentary, Fourteen Days in May.I am morally opposed to executing even the guilty. Soon enough, when my rational mind catches up with my emotions, I will rejoice at the mercy shown to Ghulam. But I – like most people – am aghast when an innocent person dies. I have been responsible for such a horror myself, when my own inexperience led to the execution of Edward Earl Johnson on 20 May, 1987, a catastrophe immortalised in the BBC documentary, Fourteen Days in May.
The idea that Ghulam – who apparently took part in the terrible murder of Sabiha Bari and her two sons – was spared by what we loosely call the “justice system”, while the palpably innocent Aftab died last night, leaves me in a state of sickening despair.The idea that Ghulam – who apparently took part in the terrible murder of Sabiha Bari and her two sons – was spared by what we loosely call the “justice system”, while the palpably innocent Aftab died last night, leaves me in a state of sickening despair.