Shafqat Hussain's execution delayed once again

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday delayed the execution of Shafqat Hussain in response to a petition filed expressing dissatisfaction over the FIA’s investigation into Shafqat’s age and requesting for a judicial inquiry into the age of the death row convict. Justice Athar Minallah began the hearing. He inquired as to who had given the orders to hold the inquiry to ascertain Shafqat Hussain's age. The government lawyer told the court that the inquiry was conducted on the orders of the interior ministry. The court observed that following the Supreme Court's 2003 orders, the executive cannot determine the age of the convicts. “Thus, the FIA's investigation into Hussain's age stands illegal,” the court said. The court ordered both parties to reach an agreement on the next course of action by tomorrow (Wednesday). Earlier, Shafqat Hussain who worked as a security guard, was convicted for kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Umair, was sentenced to death in 2004. He was set to be executed on March 19 but his hanging was subsequently postponed for 72 hours and then for 30 days, a day before the sentencing civil society representatives gathered in front of the presidency against the order. Death warrants for Shafqat Hussain were issued for the third time on April 24 for May 6, after an anti-terrorism court (ATC) issued his death warrant following an executive inquiry by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) which concluded that he was not a minor when the punishment was handed down.