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Mother of jailed Pakistani is in UAE for mercy plea

DUBAI — Qamar Ali Khan, a Pakistani from Peshawar, was just 26-year-old when he was arrested for smuggling drugs and subsequently awarded death sentence by the UAE government in 1994. Now 10 years after his imprisonment, his aged mother and youngest brother have arrived in Dubai to plead with the government to grant him freedom.

“The UAE gives an ear to mercy petition and free many prisoners, including those who have been awarded a capital sentence. I came to the UAE with the hope that, maybe, my son’s plea too would be considered,” said the sobbing woman.

Qamar Khan, now 36, is a computer engineer by profession. In 1994, he was on a business trip to Dubai with his brother-in-law when he was arrested for carrying drugs.

“My brother is innocent and was falsely implicated in this case by his brother-in-law,” alleged Kamran Ali Khan, the youngest brother of Qamar.

He also said the wife of his jailed brother had appealed for divorce and was living separately.

“My brother has two children, son Osman Khan and daughter Mahnoor,” he added.

Qamar is the eldest of seven brothers and three sisters. His father is paralysed and mother a heart patient.