LAHORE: The tribal administration of Mohmand Agency has recovered and handed over the bodies of a woman and her lover, allegedly stoned to death by the Taliban under charges of adultery, to their heirs, BBC Urdu reported on Wednesday.

However, it added that local administration had denied reports that the couple was stoned to death. It quoted a local administration official as saying that the two were shot dead in Baizai (40 kilometres from the agency’s headquarters Ghalanai) on Sunday night. He said the woman had been buried in her native town of Baizai, while the corpse of the man, Daulat Khan, had been handed over to his heirs.

According to the official, the 45-year-old woman was married, but had eloped with her 25-year-old paramour to Karachi. He said the two were held on their way back from Noushera on Sunday.

Stoning: Dr Asad, who claimed to be the spokesman for Mohmand Agency Taliban, told the BBC that the hardline group had stoned the couple to death in compliance with the decree issued by a local Qazi. He said the bodies were thrown away at a desolate place.

Asad said that both had confessed the crime. This is the first case of stoning to death after Taliban emerged as a power in Mohmand Agency.
Source: Daily Times
Date:4/3/2008