Hijacker hanged to death for crime committed 17 years ago

28 May, 2015

KARACHI: Shabbir, one of the three prisoners convicted for hijacking a PIA fokker plane 17 years ago, was hanged to death Thursday at Karachi Central jail.

Shabbir alongwith two other main accused, Sabir and Shahsawar - sent to gallows the same morning at Hyderabad Jail, had on May 24, 1998, hijacked the aircraft on its way to Karachi from Turbat.

They had demanded that the plane with some 30 passengers on board be taken to India, however, captain of the flight managed to land it in Hyderabad convincing hijackers that it was India's Bhuj Airport.

The skyjacking came to an end as the culprits were overpowered by the security personnel at Hyderabad airport.

It was October 1998 that Anti Terrorism Court (ATC), Hyderabad awarded them capital punishment. Subsequent appeal against their convictions were also rejected by the Sindh High Court, Karachi bench and the Supreme Court.

President of Pakistan had also rejected their mercy appeals.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2015

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