Shafqat Hussain's family presents birth certificate to media

As per birth certificate, Shafqat was born on 01 October 1991, making him 13 years and six months when convicted


Our Correspondent March 18, 2015
PHOTO: JPP.ORG.PK

MUZZAFARABAD: Hours before his execution, 'underage' convict Shafqat Hussain's family on Wednesday presented his birth certificate to the media in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The move comes a day after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar asked for proof to establish that Shafqat was juvenile when convicted.

Shafqat's family presented the birth certificate issued by local government and Rural Development Department Secretary Town Committee of Kail in which his date of birth was written as  01 October 1991.

“It is a matter of law and Constitution because the seven-year-old child killed by him [Shafqat] also had legal rights,” Nisar said. “No record of Shafqat Hussain’s age is available.”

Read: Church attacks: Nisar calls Lahore lynching ‘worst kind of terrorism’

“Proof [of Shafqat being juvenile] should be brought within the next 36 hours, before March 19, which is the date of his execution. Otherwise, he will be hanged on March 19 in accordance with the law,” he added.

Shafqat’s mother, elder brother, younger sister and the representative of Justice Project Yasir Sahbaz  presented the birth certificate before the media during a press conference in Central Press Club saying they are ready for the DNA test to confirm Shafqat’s age.

Read: Mercy plea: Shafqat Hussain’s mother turns to president

Shafqat's elder brother, Manzoor Ahmad said that the birth certificate has already been mailed to the interior ministry.

“We have provided the copies of his birth certificate to the court as well,” Manzoor said, appealing the government to halt the execution of his brother.

“Or they should re-investigate the case or pardon him as a minor convict, keeping his birth certificate in view as he was awarded the death sentence at the age of 13 years and six months.”

Shafqat’s family members also provided the supporting documents of computerised National Identity Cards to the Interior Ministry to verify Shafqat’s birth certificate.

Shafqat’s family members added they have no resources to travel to meet Shafqat in Karachi.

"If my son is hanged it would be judicial murder,” Shafqat’s mother said, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Shafqat’s sister urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain to use their offices to halt the execution of her brother.

Justice Project representative Yasir Shahbaz questioned, “Why has the Interior Ministry not collected the data of Shafqat Hussain from NADRA to verify his age?”

The convict Shafqat Hussain would be hanged on Thursday, March 19 in Karachi.

Last meeting

Jail authorities on Wednesday evening called Shafqat's two brothers who live in Karachi to see him for the last time. Shafqat's brother appealed to the president and the interior minister to pardon their brother.

COMMENTS (16)

Nadeem | 9 years ago | Reply Most of the NGOs in Pakistan are foreign funded and working to promote their agenda. They helped shafqat's family in getting fake birth certificate. How can a 13 year boy is employed at chowkidar and not kept in child jail. Now when duniya news has revealed every thing all those involved including concerned NGOs to justify their stance and let us make our country free of terrorists and culprits.
mehmood khan | 9 years ago | Reply Yes friends all of you may be right but as far as shafqat's case is concerned, no record of his age was brought yet before the public by authorities even despite his parents insisted as he was just 14 at the commission of the crime which under law is not liable to death sentence besides the fact or story about he was forced to confess it which is common in pak exercised by police, in addition his all legal computerized documents regarding his date of birth and others etc were sent to govt in order to consider, ofcourse his age should not b considered if he infact commit the said crime. but now his execution owing to obvious suspicions was differed and in law benefit of doubt goes to offender.. how this doubt wins and gives rise to save shafqat's life and his old mothers miserable and crying tears..
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