PAKISTAN: LHC STAYS EXECUTION OF DEATH CONVICT

in Pakistan, the Lahore High Court stayed for five days the execution of a condemned prisoner, Muhammad Shahbaz of Mustafabad, Okara. Shahbaz was the awarded death sentence and black warrants for him were issued, with August 20 fixed as the date of his execution. Shahbaz challenged the issuance of black warrants before the Lahore High Court. His counsel told the court that the Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice of the government's move to convert the death sentence into life imprisonment and as the matter was pending before the apex court, his client could not be executed. The court directed the petitioner to file civil miscellaneous application before the Supreme Court to become a party in the suo motu case.