Reuters - Saudi Arabia executed a Pakistani man for drugs smuggling on Saturday, taking to 17 the number of reported executions in the conservative kingdom in 2006.

The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said Ghulam Mustakbir Mohammad Yousef was executed in the coastal city of Jeddah for receiving hashish that had been smuggled into the country. It gave no more details.

Saudi Arabia implements strict Islamic law and usually carries out executions by public beheading with a sword. The country executed 86 people in 2005 and 36 in 2004.

Officials have not explained the fall in the executions this year, which follows criticism from human rights groups over the high rates in previous years.