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SHC dismisses plea to halt execution
PPI
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday dismissed the petition seeking suspension of a fresh execution order of a condemned prisoner Shafqat Hussain, who is scheduled to be hanged till death tomorrow (Thursday).
Shafqat was condemned to death in 2004 for kidnapping and killing a seven-year-old boy in the limits of New Town Police Station. The petitioner, relative of the convict moved the court, submitting that the Interior Ministry had halted the execution of the condemned prisoner when the civil society raised hue and cry against his hanging on the grounds that he was juvenile. He quoted the interior minister as saying during a press briefing that DNA test of the convict would be conducted to determine his age. But, the petitioner added, after lapse of two months no test was conducted. Instead of determining his age, ATC issued black warrants against the death row prisoner and asked the superintendent of the Karachi central prison to hang him till death on March 19. The petitioner’s counsel argued that the convict was a juvenile at the time of conviction and such aspect was not taken into consideration by the trial court as well as appellate bench of SHC and the Supreme Court.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk