Mach jail officials receive orders to halt Saulat Mirza's execution for another 30 days

Superintendent Mach jail says no specific reason cited in orders for halting Mirza's hanging

QUETTA: The execution of convicted murderer and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) worker Saulat Mirza was on Monday further delayed for 30 days, a jail official told The Express Tribune.

"Mach jail received the orders regarding a delay of 30 days in executing Saulat Mirza," superintendent Mach Jail, Ishaq Zehri told The Express Tribune.

According to official sources, there was no specific reason cited in the orders that why the execution was further delayed.

Read: Saulat Mirza may be executed after Pakistan Day, or never

The move comes after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif requested President Mamnoon Hussain to halt the hanging of Mirza which had been finalised earlier for April 1.

Read: PM requests Saulat Mirza's execution to be halted for further 30 days

Saulat was set to be hanged on March 19, when hours before being sent to the gallows his execution was postponed following a confessional video. Mirza had alleged in a supposed video confession that he killed former KESC Director Shahid Hamid on the directives of party chief Altaf Hussain.

Read: Shocking revelations: MQM chief ordered KESC director’s assassination, claims Saulat

Initially Mirza’s hanging had been deferred by 90 days but it was decided later that it has been stayed for another 30 days to initiate investigations into the allegations in the video.

On Tuesday, March 24, death warrants were reissued by an anti-terrorism court where it was decided that Saulat will be executed on April 1 at 5:30am in Mach Jail, Balochistan.

Black Warrants issued for five convicts

Black Warrants for execution of five condemned prisoners within a week were issued by the provincial home department on Monday, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The condemned prisoners are under detention in Mach jail, Balochistan and the execution dates will be finalised by the jail's superintendent.