The public shooting, watched by some 2,000 people took place on Sunday in the Orakzai Agency in the tribal area bordering the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, The News daily reported.

The `Pakistani Taliban' ordered the public execution in the North West Frontier Province and said it was a ``major step'' towards enforcing Sharia law in the country's federally-administered tribal region, the report said.

Khial Ghaffar, was shot dead in Khadezo village, about 120 km south of the provincial capital of Peshawar, after being convicted by a court comprising Ulema (Muslim priests), it said.

He was found guilty of murdering his cousin, Shandi Khan, about three weeks ago and dumping his body in hills in the tribal agency.