Pakistani beheaded in Saudi for drug trafficking

Riyadh: A Pakistani national was on Thursday beheaded in Saudi Arabia for smuggling large quantity of heroin into the country, the second execution of a citizen from the South Asian nation in three weeks.

Izzat Khan Tor Qul was executed in Jeddah Governorate as he smuggled a large quantity of heroin into Saudi Arabia, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The punishment was later endorsed by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court and a royal order was issued to execute him, the ministry was quoted as saying by the SPA news agency.

Capital punishment in Saudi Arabia is given under the strict version of Islamic sharia law.

A wide range of offences including rape, murder, robbery, blasphemy, drug-trafficking and apostasy can result in public beheading in Saudi Arabia.

Last month, another Pakistani drug trafficker was executed in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia for smuggling large quantity of heroin into the country.