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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Death row man's execution delayed | Death row man's execution delayed |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A Leeds man on death row in Pakistan for 18 years has been given a two-month stay of execution. | A Leeds man on death row in Pakistan for 18 years has been given a two-month stay of execution. |
| Mirza Tahir Hussain, 36, was due to be hanged on 1 November for murdering a taxi driver in 1988. A new execution date has been set for 31 December. | Mirza Tahir Hussain, 36, was due to be hanged on 1 November for murdering a taxi driver in 1988. A new execution date has been set for 31 December. |
| Prince Charles, who was due to be in Pakistan on the day of the execution, had expressed his concerns. | Prince Charles, who was due to be in Pakistan on the day of the execution, had expressed his concerns. |
| Mirza Hussain's brother Amjad, who has campaigned for a pardon, said the family's "torture" continued. | Mirza Hussain's brother Amjad, who has campaigned for a pardon, said the family's "torture" continued. |
| He told BBC News: "Obviously I'm grateful to his Royal Highness making that clemency plea and obviously it's fallen on deaf ears. | He told BBC News: "Obviously I'm grateful to his Royal Highness making that clemency plea and obviously it's fallen on deaf ears. |
| It is a continuation of the torture and the agony, it is not a solution Amjad Hussain, brother | It is a continuation of the torture and the agony, it is not a solution Amjad Hussain, brother |
| "They're not going to execute my brother while Mr Musharraf takes his Royal Highness to dinner, but after that he will execute him maybe a month or two months later. | "They're not going to execute my brother while Mr Musharraf takes his Royal Highness to dinner, but after that he will execute him maybe a month or two months later. |
| "Nobody asked for it to be delayed for two months, it's just basically a delay of execution. | "Nobody asked for it to be delayed for two months, it's just basically a delay of execution. |
| "It is a continuation of the torture and the agony. It is not a solution." | "It is a continuation of the torture and the agony. It is not a solution." |
| It is the fourth stay of execution granted to Mr Hussain. | It is the fourth stay of execution granted to Mr Hussain. |
| Hussain was convicted in 1988 at the age of 18 of murdering the driver in the district of Chakwal. | Hussain was convicted in 1988 at the age of 18 of murdering the driver in the district of Chakwal. |
| Sex assault claim | |
| He had argued that the taxi driver tried to sexually assault him at gunpoint. In a scuffle, the gun went off and the driver was killed. | He had argued that the taxi driver tried to sexually assault him at gunpoint. In a scuffle, the gun went off and the driver was killed. |
| The Lahore High Court acquitted him in 1996, but shortly afterwards it was declared that some of the offences came under Islamic law. | The Lahore High Court acquitted him in 1996, but shortly afterwards it was declared that some of the offences came under Islamic law. |
| The Federal Sharia Court reversed the decision of the High Court and sentenced Hussain to death. | |
| Mehmood Ahmed, an official at Adiala jail in Rawalpindi where Hussain is being held, said on Thursday: "We have received orders for a delay in the execution until 31 December 2006. | |
| "We have informed him and he is happy." | |
| A spokesman for the Prince of Wales said there were no plans for a further statement on the matter on Thursday. | |
| Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West, said the continual delays were "mental torture" for Hussain's family. | |
| "Whilst clearly it's of some relief that the execution will not go ahead on November 1, nevertheless it's disappointing that the Pakistani government has simply chosen to delay this rather than bringing this matter to a positive resolution," Mr Mulholland said. | |
| "The continued cycle of stays of execution is real mental torture for his family and it's time that President Musharraf and the Pakistani authorities faced up to their responsibilities to overturn what is so clearly an unfair conviction." |