ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday stayed the hanging of a murder convict after his lawyer filed a petition pointing out that as per order of the Anti Terrorism Court (ATC), the convict could only be executed by the ‘firing squad’.

Zulfiqar Ali Khan was scheduled to be hanged on Wednesday.

Justice Athar Minallah of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued notices to the attorney general as well as the advocate general of Islamabad seeking their reply in this matter on Monday, March 30.

An Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) of Rawalpindi in 1999 convicted Khan in double murder case took place in 1996. Khan was arrested on April 14, 1996.

The ATC Judge Hussain Aziz Bhatti ordered that the execution by the ‘firing squad’. Khan was scheduled to be hanged in Kot Lakhpat Jail of Lahore early morning on March 25.

Rana Kashif, the counsel for Khan, adopted before the court that since the ATC had ordered the execution by a ‘firing squad’ therefore technically his client could not be hanged.

According to him, the verdict was upheld by the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the Supreme Court as well therefore the jail authorities could execute the death sentence through firing squad and hanging of the convict is illegal.

Justice Minallah after hearing the preliminary arguments stayed the execution and put off further hearing in this matter till March 30.

Published in Dawn March 25th , 2015

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