SHC CJ seeks report on cases against Saulat Mirza

Karachi
Sindh High Court Chief Justice Faisal Arab directed the Member Inspection Team on Tuesday to submit a report on cases against death-row convict Saulat Ali Khan Mirza.
The direction after Saulat approached the chief justice with a request to halt his execution until a decision on his application seeking for a fresh trial of all suspects involved in the murder case of Karachi Electric Supply Corporation’s managing director Malik Shahid Hamid.
Mirza, who was sentenced to death by anti-terrorism court on May 24, 1999, for murdering Hamid, his driver Ashraf Brohi and guard Khan Akbar on July 5, 1997, in Defence, managed to get his hanging halted on March 19 when he accused some Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders of involvement in the murder.
When Mirza’s statement was aired on TV channels a few hours before his execution, the federal government deferred his execution and constituted a joint investigation team for further investigations.
Mirza had sent three applications through his counsel submitting that he made a confessional statement regarding the involvement of other suspects; therefore, a fresh trial should be conducted.
He sought the suspension of his death sentence till the pendency of his application and his shifting to the Karachi prison from the Machh jail. He sent another plea seeking protection for his spouse and other family members, who, he said, were receiving death threats from South Africa.
He said that his wife knew the names of those persons who were threatening his family members. He asked the court to take action and initiate proceedings against the suspects under Section 190 of the CrPC.
The SHC and the Supreme Court had earlier dismissed appeals against the death penalty of the convict on January 21, 2000, and September 14, 2001, respectively. The Supreme Court rejected the review appeal on March 9, 2004, while the presidency also turned down his mercy petition.