IHC single bench comprises of Justice Athar Minallah heard the plea submitted by Shafqat Hussain’s counsel.
In the plea filed yesterday, Hussain’s counsel has requested a judicial inquiry to ascertain Shafqat’s age. The petition also expressed dissatisfaction over the FIA’s investigation into Hussain’s age.
Court after listening to the stance of Hussain’s counsel, issued notices to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain, Federation of Pakistan, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), jail authorities and others asking to submit response within 15 days.
It should be recalled that on March 18, President Mamnoon Hussain had issued orders for the postponement of Shafqat Hussain for 30 days.
Read: Govt postpones execution of Shafqat Hussain
Shafqat Hussain, convicted of killing a seven-year-old boy in Karachi in 2004. Later he was arrested and during his first interrogation admitted kidnapping and killing Umair, whose body was found in a plastic bag in a stream.
Shafqat Hussain later withdrew his confession, saying he had made it under duress, but the case came before an anti-terrorism court which sentenced him to death.
Shafqat Hussain had been due to face the noose on January 14 but the government halted the execution amid protests about his age, and ordered an investigation.
Shafqat Hussain’s case has triggered outrage in rights campaigners, who complain he did not get a fair trial and was only 15 at the time of the killing.
