ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday issued notices to President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and nine other parties, directing them to submit responses within 15 days in response to a petition calling for a judicial inquiry into the age of death row convict Shafqat Hussain.

Hussain's counsel had submitted an application yesterday requesting a judicial inquiry to ascertain his client's age. The petition also expressed dissatisfaction over the FIA's investigation into Hussain's age.

Hussain was arrested and sentenced to death in 2004 for kidnapping and killing a seven-year-old boy from an apartment building in Karachi where he was working as a guard.

The counsel reiterated that at the time of the murder, Hussain was a minor and should have been tried in a juvenile court but his case was processed in a regular court.

Hearing the petition, IHC judge Justice Athar Minallah issued notices to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain, Federation of Pakistan, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), jail authorities and others. The court has summoned responses from the said persons within 15 days as Hussain's execution is set to expire today.

Read: Shafqat's execution stayed for 30 days, jail authorities tell ATC

The proceedings will take place after the said parties have submitted their responses.

On March 18, President Mamnoon had postponed the execution for 30 days on Hussain's mercy appeal.

Following extensive media coverage of the case, several civil society organisations took interest in Hussain's case and he is currently being represented by lawyers from Justice Project Pakistan, a legal aid NGO.

Also read: New evidence emerges in Shafqat Hussain case

An executive inquiry to verify his age is expected to make its findings public this week and sources privy to the investigation told Dawn that the FIA team probing the case is in possession of new evidence that may put the matter to rest.

A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry told Dawn on Thursday that the inquiry into Hussain’s age was “in its final stages” and its report would be made public soon.

Another official linked to the inquiry told Dawn in an off-the-record conversation that the report had been sent to the concerned authority, which would make it public when it deemed fit.