Balochistan

Saulat Mirza may be executed after Pakistan Day, or never

Balochistan government launches probe to determine whether his last video message was recorded at Mach Jail or not

Shezad Baloch March 19, 2015

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QUETTA: Deputy Superintendent of Central Prison Mach, Balochistan has said the execution of Saulat Mirza, which had been delayed for 72 hours on Wednesday night, could take place after Pakistan Day, March 23, 2015.

“Since March 22, 23 are officially off-days, no execution will be carried out on those days,” he said, indicating that Mirza may in effect get a reprieve longer than the sanctioned 72 hours.

Prison officials added Mirza is still in the death cell and would remain there till he is either hanged or any other orders are received from the authorities concerned.

However, sources in Home Department said Mirza’s death sentence may be converted into life sentence given his recent revelations, and promise to help the government trace target killers associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

Read: Saulat’s love: The woman behind Karachi’s most notorious target killer

“This decision is being taken in national interest. He may be of help in tracing witnesses, which could then be used to trace masterminds of targeted killings in Karachi,” said a senior official who did not wish to be quoted.

Balochistan clueless about Mirza’s video statement

While the video recording of Mirza made headlines across Pakistan, the Balochistan government and officials at Mach jail could not verify whether the statement had been filmed inside the prison.

“Balochistan government has ordered an inquiry to determine where Mirza’s video statement was recorded,” said Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti. “I would be able to comment on the video once the inquiry is complete.”

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Central Prison Mach Ishaq Zehri rejected the notion that the statement had been recorded inside the jail premises.

“The prisoner was jailed at different places, and it is possible the video was recorded in any other prison,” he told reporters.

On the other hand, BBC Urdu, while quoting an unnamed high ranking official, claimed that Mirza’s video had been recorded by the secret government agency.

The official, who wished not to be named, revealed that the video was recorded in Mach Jail, just a day before Mirza’s execution, before being disseminated to media.

Some quarters said that the video had been recorded three days ago.

The home minister added that Mirza’s execution was delayed because of his health issues, who fell unconscious on Wednesday night.

“The decision to postpone his execution was taken after his medical examination,” he said.

Read: Saulat Mirza's statement is 'sensational' and 'alarming': Sharjeel Memon

Balochistan had informed the federal government about his medical condition, and the decision to halt his execution came from the President House, added Zehri.

'We will not pardon Saulat Mirza'

Omar Shahid Hamid, son of former KESC director who was murdered by Mirza told Express News that his family will not pardon him.

When asked about Mirza's statement, Hamid said the original FIR of his father's murder case - which can still be viewed at the Defence police station in Karachi - names all the people Mirza accused in his confessional video.

COMMENTS (12)

Karachiwala | 9 years ago | Reply @Harvard Boy You are right. ET should take out that note before BBC sues you. it fells under spreading mis-information.

syed & syed | 9 years ago | Reply @Waseem Ch.: If these scoundrels are your hero. Wait and see every convict will do the same as Saulat Mirza did to. Every convict for even a minor crime will name a big fish that he carried out orders in good faith and national interest.

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LuvPak! | 9 years ago | Reply It's mind boggling how the Third World countries are run by their leaders! How crime and punishments are done and how innocents & convicts are described and corrected based on democratically, legally, morally and technically unacceptable methods & procedures. The root of the matter is Incompetency, corruption and Conflict-of-Interest in government hiring and jobs postings. Including the Meddling of political parties and leaders into judicial affairs, to the extent of forcing a pure judicial procedure into a political mileage issue that has Political Achievements & Favoritism written All Over It!

Noor | 9 years ago | Reply @Waseem Ch.: He may have become a national hero in your eyes. The law has to take its course. A murderer is to be hanged. All valid information that can be extracted out of him should be extracted and the murderer be hanged.

Imran | 9 years ago | Reply I think Mirza should not executed but to convert into life sentence, government should use to trace target killers associated with the MQM, and use for London investigations.

Harvard Boy | 9 years ago | Reply I just want to point out that the reference made in this article to a BBC Urdu report claiming the the video confession was recorded by agencies is a fake one, after going through the BBC Urdu article posted in the report above I can't find any mention of such a claim which makes this whole report/news kinda false, or an attempt at trolling besides it might also count for defaming suits

Sane voice | 9 years ago | Reply After the Saulat Mirza fiasco MQM will emerge ever more powerful and determined

Imran Qadri | 9 years ago | Reply Did Saulat Mirza had some personal grudge with then KESC chief Shahid Hamid? Clearly he was carrying out the killings on someone's instructions and real masterminds were someone else. So going after masterminds is important so that they are eliminated and in future can't get others killed just like thousands they have already gotten killed using their killers like Saulat Mirza. Go after real master minds,if this killer Saulat Mirza is ready to become approver against actual masterminds who ordered him to carry out such heinous acts then his death sentence should be postponed or maybe changed into life sentence. Saulat Mirza’s statement should be properly investigated as Karachi’s peace and future is at stake and his statements and any action taken in the light of these statement will definitely positive impact on law & order situation in Karachi.

S.R.H. Hashmi | 9 years ago | Reply "We have put on hold Saulat Mirza’s execution for 72 hours owing to health concerns," Nisar apprised the National Assembly on Thursday. Just see who is saying what and to whom. Apparently, the statement was well-taken by the August House. And we wonder why the rest of the world does not take us seriously, and when it does happen to take us seriously for a change, it usually does so for the wrong reasons. This reminds me of a joke. A man who was known for regularly hurling threats to commit suicide, declared one day that he would commit suicide by jumping into the river. To no surprise, his friends found him alive and kicking the next day. And when one of his friends asked "What about your suicide project?" he replied "Well, I actually did go to the river to commit suicide but did not dare jump in because the water was too cold and I could catch cold. Karachi

Waseem Ch. | 9 years ago | Reply Though Mirza has committed great offenses but his efforts to come clean and expose the TRUTH and the MQM for what it really is (a violent mafia bent on destroying Karachi and Pakistan), he should be given an amnesty on his death sentence. Mirza has turned from a convict to a national hero

Barred Reader | 9 years ago | Reply Mirza is merely a pawn. Killing him wouldn't win us the war. Kill the king and Generals instead.

Karachiite | 9 years ago | Reply He should not be executed. His words have the ability to change Karachi forever, for the better. For that, he deserves to live a life.

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