Pakistani convicted of drug trafficking beheaded in Saudi Arabia

Pakistani convicted of drug trafficking beheaded in Saudi Arabia

A Pakistani man was beheaded on Friday. He was convicted of smuggling heroin into Saudi Arabia.

In a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, the ministry said that Aslam Shahbaz Khan was executed in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam under which those convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape and armed robbery are executed in public with a sword.

Friday's execution brought to 135 the number of people beheaded in the kingdom this year, according to an Associated Press count. Saudi Arabia beheaded 38 people last year and 83 people in 2005.