As par media reports, the Islamabad High Court earlier today issued a stay order against the execution of murder convict Shafqat Hussain who was due to be hanged on May 6.
Hussain was condemned to death by an ATC in 2004 for killing a seven-year-old boy in 2001. The boy was kidnapped from an apartment building in Karachi where he was working as a guard.
The stay order was issued during the hearing of a plea seeking formation of a judicial commission to determine Hussain’s age. This is the third time that Hussain’s execution has been delayed.
During the hearing held yesterday, the court had directed the government to explain the legal status of an inquiry conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to determine the convict’s age.
Hussain, who was initially due to be hanged on the morning of March 19, was given a reprieve hours before his scheduled execution after a civil society campaign pointing out to the possibility of a mistrial.
