Convict's execution postponed by 30 days in Pakistan

Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain has, on the advice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, postponed the execution of murder convict Saulat Mirza by 30 days, Geo News reported on Monday.

Death warrants were issued earlier this month for the execution of the triple-murder convict Mirza to be carried out at 5.30 a.m. on April 1 at the Machh jail in Balochistan province.

Mirza is convicted of killing the former managing director of Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) Shahid Hamid, his driver and guard in July, 1997. He was sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in May, 1999 for the murders.

However, Mirza's execution could not be carried out owing to a series of postponements. In January, the Pakistan federal government had postponed Mirza's execution.

Then, his execution, scheduled for March 19, was postponed by 72 hours after he confessed in a video statement aired on Geo News, to have received instructions to kill the KESC boss from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party chief Altaf Hussain, through party leader Babar Ghauri.

Following the allegations, the government decided to reopen the murder case of the former KESC top official.