Pakistan embassy in touch with high-ups in Jakarta
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ISLAMABAD: (APP) Pakistan Embassy in Indonesia is in constant touch with high officials in Jakarta to convince them over the innocence of Zulfiqar Ali, a Pakistani facing imminent execution on drug-related charges, Ambassador Aqil Nadeem said on Wednesday.
"We have approached all the authorities concerned of Indonesian government and are still trying our level best in this regard," the Ambassador told APP on telephone from Jakarta.
Zulfiqar Ali is among the 14 death row prisoners to be executed in Indonesia on Friday. He was arrested in a heroine case in 2004 and was sentenced in 2005 despite material evidence found against him.
Ambassador Aqil Nadeem said he was due to meet the Chief of Staff of Indonesian President Joko Widodo tomorrow (Thursday) in a bid to seek compassion towards the Pakistani prisoner who was not given a chance of fair trial.
He said Pakistan Embassy was extending full support to Zulfiqar Ali, who had also filed an appeal to President Widodo for clemency today.
The embassy has also contacted the Presidential Advisory Council so as to convey concern over the 'miscarriage of justice'in Zulfiqar's case, he added.
Aqil Nadeem said he also met the Chief Justice of Indonesia's Constitutional Court and apprised him over the matter.
He said the Indonesian government was tough on drug-related crimes and last year, had executed Australian, Brazilian and Dutch citizens despite requests by their respective governments to withdraw death penalty, which is part of Indonesia's legal system.
"However, Zulfiqar Ali's case is different from them as we are not challenging their legal system. We are just pointing out the flaws in the prosecution of the said case," he said.
The Ambassador mentioned that Zulfiqar Ali was sentenced in 2005 and due to the consistent efforts of Pakistan embassy since then, his execution had been delayed.
He said drugs were never recovered from Zulfiqar, adding that the Indian citizen Gurdip Singh in writing had retracted his statement against the former, saying the confession had been coerced from him.
Aqil Nadeem said Indonesian media was supporting Zulfiqar Ali's case and mentioned that the leading daily Jakarta Post had put the related story at its front page.
