Pakistan

ATC issues death warrants for 'underage' convict Shafqat Hussain

Hussain, sentenced to death in 2004 when he was 14 years old, will be executed on March 19

Zubair Ashraf March 12, 2015

Prisoner Shafqat Hussain. PHOTO: REPRIEVE.ORG.UK

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi issued black warrants on Thursday for 'underage' convict Shafqat Hussain ordering his execution on March 19.

Judge Saleem Raza Baloch of ATC III issued the warrants after Karachi Central Jail authorities on Wednesday approached the anti-terrorism court, seeking a fresh black warrant Shafqat Hussain.

Read: To the gallows: Fresh black warrant sought for Shafqat Hussain

Hussain will be hanged on the same day as convicted MQM killer Saulat Mirza.

Read: Death warrants: Court issues execution order for Saulat Mirza

Hussain, then 14 years old, was sentenced to death in 2004 on charges of killing seven-year-old Umair, the son of a car dealer, in New Town.

Read: Shafqat Hussain’s case: Last-gasp bid to save teenage convict

According to the prosecution, Hussain was a watchman at the apartment building where the deceased boy lived. He kidnapped Umair, demanding ransom from his family, and later killed him. The police said that Hussain was nabbed because he had asked Umair’s family to place the ransom money near a trunk that belonged to him.

The court had earlier issued a death warrant for Hussain, now 25, giving January 14 as his execution date. The order became ineffective because the government halted his execution owing to concerns over him being a juvenile at the time of sentencing.

The government has so far given no response regarding reinvestigation into the case.

The interior ministry lifted its moratorium on the death penalty in all capital cases, officials said Tuesday, after restarting executions for terrorism offences in the wake of the Peshawar school massacre.

Read: Govt lifts death penalty moratorium completely: officials

The interior ministry directed provincial governments to proceed with hangings for prisoners who had exhausted all avenues of appeal and clemency, a senior interior ministry official told AFP.

A copy of the notification issued for execution of death sentences available with The Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (12)

MK | 9 years ago | Reply Our Justice system is a Joke. Terrorists go free because of lack of evidence. And most of the convictions are based on "Confession" . Considering the culture of corruption, bribery and torture in Police and investigating agencies. Courts should throw out any case that is not brought with credible forensic evidence (which would essentially be zero convictions, under current practice and culture of investigation). Under present circumstances CONFESSION does not mean anything in Pakistan, because we all know how that is obtained. In this particular case, age of "confessed" criminal should have been considered by the courts. Either change the law in Pakistan through proper legislation, and lower the age of capital punishment and include minors (see how well that goes with rest of the world), or follow your own rules, that are in place. Last time I checked Capital punishment for a 14 year old criminal is not in our law.

Demril Shaikh | 9 years ago | Reply Monster in Making...nip the evil in the bud....if he could kill a 7 year old kid when he was 14, just imagine what sort of crimes can he commit now...since he is not afraid of any law...setting him free will only encourage him now...the ungrateful boy was not even loyal to his masters he did not only betray them by killing their son but he killed the whole mankind...should be hanged till death or Men will use kids to commit crimes because they cant be punished in law...all those talkin against his death penalty...shud imagine what if a 14 year old kill their 2 , 3 year old son or daughter.....

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J. Gowher | 9 years ago | Reply Shafqat Hussain is of killing a boy when he was 14 years old. Age 14 is not even qualifies to be a young offender, He should not be doing more than three years in Jail even if he has committed the murder at age 14.

bechari-awam | 9 years ago | Reply Somehow everyone is talking about the rights of a convicted killer who was 14 yrs old at the time of the crime and pleading for the mercy for him. What about the rights of the victim who was half as much old then and buried under tons of dirt for last 11 yrs.

straightshooter | 9 years ago | Reply Lock him up for the rest of his life. Just don't kill.

Avais | 9 years ago | Reply I think this should go viral like so many other fancy news going on these days. Atleast one should realize the social responsibility to standout for in-justice and make some effort to give justice and happiness to the poor family. Just a 2 cents.

Iqbal | 9 years ago | Reply ATC becomes bloodthirsty. He was a kid when he did this. Stop giving him punishments of fully grown up adults.

Lobster | 9 years ago | Reply @Khan: Not because he is minor, perhaps because there is not enough evidence, trunk belonging to him doesn't make him killer, if that's the only evidence, definitely should be re-investigated.

Usman | 9 years ago | Reply A 14 year old kid was tortured by police to get a statement and that is the only proof against which he was sentenced. " Shafqat was tortured for nine days and forced to sign a confession. “He was beaten and electrocuted and burnt with cigarette. His arms still bear the scars.” Take a step back from your blood lust and realize that a child was tortured to get a confession. He would now be murdered and you are cheering on his execution. How can no one find anything wrong with that? I find it extremely strange that a nation which finds conspiracy theories in everything is perfectly OK to believe the flimsy police investigation, suspicious court judgement and is cheering on his execution.

maq | 9 years ago | Reply I strongly support the comments by khan and Micheal.

Micheal | 9 years ago | Reply He is not a minor in 2015!!!

Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Never mind if he was 14. If he was old enough to kidnap a child, demand for ransom and kill that child then he deserves to be hanged!!

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