KARACHI: With tears streaming down their faces and choked voices, the wife and the sister of Saulat Mirza appealed to the president, prime minister of Pakistan and the chief of army staff on Friday to have mercy on the death row prisoner and give him more time so that they can seek forgiveness for him from the victims’ families.

The fresh appeal to the authorities came after their petition for the deferment of his hanging was rejected by the Sindh High Court. “Our petition was rejected this morning,” said Nikhat, the wife of the convict, at a hurriedly called press conference at the Karachi Press Club. She was accompanied by his sister, Sumaira Wajahat.

Also read: SHC rejects petition seeking deferment of Saulat Mirza’s execution

Saulat Mirza, who was sentenced to death in 1999 for killing KESC managing director Shahid Hamid, his driver Ashraf Brohi, and guard Khan Akbar in 1997 has been in jail since 1998. He was shifted from Karachi to Machh jail this year and black warrant for his hanging were issued twice followed by deferments, as he offered to spill the beans about issues threatening national security while levelling serious allegations against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

The latest black warrant fixed May 12 for his hanging. While Nikhat and Sumaira filed a petition with the Sindh High Court requesting deferment of his execution and re-opening of the Shahid Hamid murder case, the petition was rejected.

Nikhat said: “Now I appeal to the president of Pakistan, the prime minister of Pakistan and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif for mercy. After the rejection [of the petition], I wrote and couriered letters to all the three gentlemen. I hope they will reply. I pray they will.

“Saulat has been behind bars for 17 years. He is going nowhere. I have sought three to four months more so that I can locate the families of the ones who lost their lives due to my husband’s actions. I will fall at their feet and beg their forgiveness. Please let me look into this possibility, too. Please let me knock on this door, too,” she cried.

“I have been running to human rights organisations and NGOs. I want to meet Asma Jahangir as well. Saulat is terribly sorry for what he did. There is always room for forgiveness. Please have a heart,” the wife pleaded.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play