Arrangements completed to hang convicted Saulat Mirza in Machh tomorrow

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MACH: All the arrangements have been completed in Machh jail of Baluchistan to hang convicted Saulat Mirza on May 12 (tomorrow).

Judicial magistrate of the Mach jail Hidayat Ullah has been deputed to oversee execution of the condemned prisoner.

He will be hanged till death at 4:30 am on Tuesday (tomorrow). Hangman also has been called for the execution. His family members have met him last time.

The federal government has decided not to extend his execution further as it was delayed twice.  Sindh High Court on last Friday had rejected a petition seeking deferment of  Saulat Mirza execution which was submitted by condemned prisoner’s wife Nighat Mirza.

The (SHC) Judge Justice Naimat Ullah in his verdict remarked that Supreme Court (SC) decision cannot be challenged in any other court while all the appeals of the convicted already had been cancelled in others courts adding further that the SHC has not any right to bring change in the verdict of the SC.

The wife of convicted Saulat Mirza had submitted the petition in the SHC for the re-opening of the murder case of the then MD KESC Shahid Hamid in light of revelations made by her husband in his video statement and calls for Saulat Mirza’s execution to be delayed until investigations are complete.

Nighat Mirza stated in the petition that Mirza had made further revelations to the JIT which was formed after his video statement. She opined that her husband is a key witness and his execution would be of benefit to other criminals adding that if Mirza is executed all evidence will be buried with him and demanded Saulat Mirza’s execution to be delayed until investigations are complete.

Saulat Mirza was convicted of murdering Shahid Hamid, his driver and guard outside Hamid’s residence in the DHA area of Karachi in July, 1997.

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Karachi had earlier this month issued new death warrant for Saulat Mirza’s execution at the Machh Jail on May 12.

The condemned prisoner had received a stay in his execution after he made startling revelations regarding the leadership of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) in a video statement.

Mirza had said that he was a worker of the MQM and had received orders from party leader Babar Ghauri to murder Shahid Hamid. He further said that MQM chief Altaf Hussain would pass on orders via Babar Ghauri.