Pakistani drug convict in Indonesia seeks government’s help

Islamabad/Jakarta, July 28 (IANS) Pakistan national Zulfiqar Ali, who is facing imminent execution in Indonesia after being convicted of drug-related charges in a controversial trial, has seeked help from the government to delay his sentence, a media report said on Thursday.

"Kill me 10 times if I’m found guilty. I’m ready for it. But if I’m innocent then please spare my life,” Zulfiqar told Dawn online.

“We leave our country only to make lives of our family better. We don’t go to other countries to get involved in criminal activities.”

On Wednesday evening, the Attorney General of Indonesia announced the death penalty would be applied to 13 men and one woman as a punishment for drug-related crimes, EFE news reported.

The executions could take place as early as Friday.

Among the death row inmates comprises Ali, four Indonesians, including the woman, six Nigerians, a Zimbabwean, an Indian, and a South African.

Ali urged the Pakistan government to take up his case with the Indonesian authorities. Zulfiqar believed that his execution could still be put on hold if both the governments take up the matter on embassy level, Dawn online reported.

Zulfiqar, 52, is the only brother to six sisters. He has been languishing in Indonesian jails for 12 years, and was the sole breadwinner for his family.

He was arrested in November 2004 in connection with a 300-gram heroine case in Jakarta, Dawn online added.

Indonesian Ambassador Iwan Suyudhie Amri was also summoned to the Foreign Office over the expected execution.

After restarting the death penalty last year, Indonesia has planned to execute 16 prisoners this year and up to 30 in 2017.

As of June, some 152 inmates in prisons nationwide are awaiting execution, according to Indonesian authorities.