The one-month stay of execution for Mirza Tahir Hussain has expired. Unless the Pakistani government intervenes to stop his execution he will be hanged for a crime that he did not commit. With the world watching will Pervez Musharraf allow an innocent man to be executed?
Mirza Tahir Hussain is a British citizen of Pakistani origin. In December 1988, he was visiting Pakistan with his family over Christmas vacation when he was involved in a struggle with a taxi driver who tried to rob him. In that struggle, the taxi driver’s gun went off killing him. Mr. Hussain drove the taxi to the nearest police station to report the incident. He was immediately taken into custody and charged with murder. After he was acquitted of murder by Pakistan’s High Court, the family of the taxi driver took the case to Pakistan’s Islamic court. In a split decision, Mr. Hussain was found guilty of murder by the Islamic court and sentenced to death.
Since being convicted of murdering the Pakistani taxi driver at the age of 18 by the Islamic court, Mr. Hussain has spent half his life on Pakistan’s death row. In May, under heavy international pressure, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf stayed his execution for one month to allow negotiations to proceed with the victim’s family. Under Islamic law, the victim’s family has the power to stop the execution in exchange for compensation. So far, they have refused as a matter of tribal honor to stop the execution.
Mr. Hussain was convicted of murder based on fabricated evidence by the police and without a witness as is required by Islamic law. In spite of the lack of evidence of his guilt and contrary evidence that strongly supports his innocence, he remains on death row and now faces imminent execution. For more details about his case, read my posts here and here. For further background from the Associated Press and Amnesty International, click here and here.
Mr. Hussain’s brother has traveled from Britain to Pakistan in a frantic effort to try to save his life. With time running out, it is left to Pervez Musharraf to end this ordeal and save this innocent life. Will America’s ally protect innocent life or will he allow a killing to go forward?
I’m quite impressed with your blog. I just posted about you and today’s article on Mirza Tahir Hussain and for posting about and linking to http://blogagainsttorture.blogspot.com/
thats the problem with muslims these days. they are too engrossed in petty things, while blatantly ignoring the fundamentals.
btw, nice blog mr.
Well ms boda u cant blam all the muslims cant u see whats going on in iraq,kashmir,bonia,chechnia,syria,afghanistan how many countries should i count and who is responsible for that??? well we r nhot here to discuss all these matters…. well as far as mr hussain matter is concerned i thnink ur unawared of all the realities and fact every buddy knows that he is innocent and every one is trying to seek for a wise descision in favour of him
Well in my opinion pakistan is innocent!! the terrorism is spread by other countries and pakistan is still blamed?thats really worse … i hate those guys who dun like pakistan even if this country is innocent.. y cant everyone mind there own buisness and live peacefully?y u ppl behind pakistan? especially india really behind pakistan v r suffering whether v havent done a thing!! bt v still have faith on our God that he will save us!!ALLAHOAKBAR