Sharjah, Dec 31 (IANS) Seventeen Indians, sentenced to death for killing a Pakistani man in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have been offered a lifeline with the victim's family agreeing to settle the case in lieu of blood money as compensation.

Khaleej Times reported Friday that the victim's family wants the men to be executed if they disagree.

The court panel presided by Justices Abdulla Yousuf Al Shamsi and Ahmed Labib and Public Prosecutor Mustafa Al Barodi referred the settlement application to the defence lawyers who said they would discuss the proposal with the families of the defendants and a representative of the Indian Consulate in Dubai.

Mohammed Salman, official spokesperson of the defence team, said their clients would accept the settlement and pay money to the family.

A spokesperson for the Indian Consulate in Dubai said: "The next hearing is on February 17. Our lawyers are preparing for it."

The victim's family had refused any such settlement till the last hearing and wanted all the accused to be executed as ruled by the Sharjah Shariah Court of First Instance.

Seventeen Indians, 16 from Punjab and one from Haryana, were sentenced to death by a court in Sharjah in March 2010 for killing Pakistani Misri Nazir Khan and injuring three others in January 2009 following a fight over illegal liqour business. The murder took place in Al Sajaa area of Sharjah.

The Court of Appeal adjourned Wednesday's hearing to Feb 17, 2011 after a representative of the victim's family presented the fresh request.

A representative, who has official authorisation from the victim's family, told the court: "The family wants compensation, including 'diya' (blood money), or 'qasas' (death sentence) if the defendants refuse to pay the compensation."