Pakistan murder convict's execution postponed for fourth time

The execution of a Pakistani murder convict, scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed for the fourth time, a media report said.

Shafqat Hussain, arrested and sentenced to death in 2004 for the kidnapping and murder of a seven-year-old boy, appealed to an anti-terrorism court stating that he was a minor (aged 14) at the time of the murder, Dawn online reported.

His execution orders have been criticised by human rights organisations and civil society representatives after doubts over his age at the time of sentencing.

International bodies such as Amnesty International and UN are also pressuring the authorities to halt the execution.

The first execution date announced was January 14, which was delayed to March 19 due to protests about his age.

Civil society representatives protested the March 19 execution, moving the execution date to May 6.

A day before his execution on May 6, the Islamabad High Court stayed his hanging until a verdict was issued on a petition filed by the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), which called for a judicial inquiry into the age of the death row convict.

His execution date was then moved to June 9.

-- Indo-Asian News Service

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