ISLAMABAD, Nov 17: A long, frustrating struggle of Mirza Tahir Hussain to prove his innocence in a murder case and win forgiveness of the deceased’s family after his conviction, ended after 18 years, with the President of Pakistan commuting his death sentence.
The dramatic commutation on Friday was followed by Hussain’s release from the prison in a hush-hush manner, and within hours he was bound for London.
Having been in jail for 18 years, he is supposed to have served the commuted sentence.
Government officials, however, expressed ignorance of Hussain’s departure.
Arrested by police on the night of December 18, 1988, Hussain had come to Pakistan for a few days to visit his family elders. However, his visit could only end after 18 long years, on November 17, 2006.
During his trail, Hussain pleaded innocence, saying that the taxi driver Jamshid Khan and another person had tried to rob and assault him on his way back home near Chakwal; and during his scuffle with them, the pistol had gone off accidentally.
Hussain’s 18-year-long captivity not only cost him his education, but also deprived him of many happy moments he would have shared with his family, had he not visited Pakistan. His father died while he was in jail, and he could not attend the funeral.
When contacted, Aidan Liddle, head of the British High Commission’s media section, said: "He is on (board a) plane to go back home."
He refused to give further details.
A senior government official told Dawn on condition of anonymity that Mr Hussain was sent to Kotlakhpat jail from Adyala jail on verbal directives. Around 5:15pm on Thursday, he was boarded a chartered plan to Lahore, from where he was released and subsequently handed over to the officials of British High Commission after legal formalities, he added.
Later, according to some sources, Hussain was taken to Islamabad where he stayed at the British High Commission that night.
Senior officials of the Airport Security Force and the immigration staff of the Federal Investigation Agency had been directed to make special arrangement for his departure on Friday, said the sources.A British Airways flight, BA-128, scheduled to take off at 8:15am on Friday was delayed till 9:40am to accommodate Hussain, who was escorted to the Islamabad International Airport by a convoy of security officials, said the sources.
When contacted, the federal interior minister told Dawn that Hussain had been released around 8:00am on Friday.
“He is now free to go wherever he wants,” he said.
To a question whether Hussain was in Pakistan or sent to the UK, he said: "I have no idea."
The provincial minister for prisons told Dawn that Hussain was still in the custody of jail authorities in Pakistan.
When contacted, advocate Rab Nawaz said that he would soon move the Supreme Court against the commutation decision on behalf of Abdul Ghani, the father of the slain cabbie.
The Supreme Court would be asked to suspend the president’s decision, he said.
Experts, however, believe the petition would be dismissed on the grounds that the case is out of its jurisdiction.
