KARACHI, Aug 14: The execution of a convict, Mohammad Ihsan, scheduled for Aug 15, was stayed after the payment of compensation to the victims’ family.

He was sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court in August 2006 for the murders of Meraj Bano, 25-year-old wife of Qamar Ahmed, and her two-year-old daughter, Shafiqa, in the Orangi Town police limits.A death warrant of the convict was issued by the ATC-II on Aug 4 following the rejection of his mercy petition by the president on June 16.

Deputy Superintendent of the Central Jail Raja Mumtaz told Dawn that the convict’s family paid a compensation of Rs1.2 million and the execution was stayed.He said the convict would be released after the legal formalities were finalised.Justice Abdul Ghafoor Memon of the ATC-II had issued directives that the prisoner be hanged at 4.30am on Aug 15, 2007, in the Central Prison.

The crime was committed on June 23, 2000 in the limits of the Orangi Town police station. According to the prosecution, Ihsan, son of Mohammed Suleman, also wounded two other daughters of Qamar Ahmed, six-year-old Sidra and seven-year-old Sobia before fleeing.

According to police, both parties are relatives and had an old enmity.

A case was registered (FIR No 211/2000) under Sections 302, 324, 337-i and 337-f of the Pakistan Penal Code in the Orangi Town police station.

Ihsan was arrested on June 27, 2000. He was awarded life imprisonment and death sentence on Aug 10, 2000 by ATC-II judge Abdul Hameed Abro.

The convict had submitted an appeal in the Sindh High Court, which was rejected on January 22, 2003. A subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court of Pakistan was rejected on Feb16, 2004.