This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/6153198.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Death row man's 'nightmare ends' | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The family of a British man whose death sentence in Pakistan has been commuted to life imprisonment say they hope he will be returned to Britain soon. | |
| Government officials in Pakistan said President Pervez Musharraf had intervened in the case of Mirza Tahir Hussain, 36, of Leeds, West Yorkshire. | Government officials in Pakistan said President Pervez Musharraf had intervened in the case of Mirza Tahir Hussain, 36, of Leeds, West Yorkshire. |
| Hussain was convicted in 1989 of murdering taxi driver Jamshed Khan. | |
| His brother Amjad said: "At last his 18 years of nightmare appears to be coming to an end." | |
| Speaking to reporters at his home in Leeds, he said: "We are awaiting the news that finally he will be able to come back to us. We are hoping it is soon." | |
| He said the intervention of Prince Charles, who had urged clemency during a recent visit to Pakistan, had been "very important". | |
| Prince Charles was "very pleased" with the decision, Clarence House said. | |
| I have been working with the family to secure Hussain's release and was planning a last minute plea next month which will now become a plea for his return to Leeds for Christmas Yorkshire and Humber MEP Edward McMillan-Scott | I have been working with the family to secure Hussain's release and was planning a last minute plea next month which will now become a plea for his return to Leeds for Christmas Yorkshire and Humber MEP Edward McMillan-Scott |
| Sajjad Karim, who led a delegation of European Parliament members (MEPs) to lobby President Musharraf earlier this year, praised the role Prince Charles had played during a recent visit to Pakistan. | |
| "Personally, I think Prince Charles's intervention is one which was very welcome indeed," he said. | "Personally, I think Prince Charles's intervention is one which was very welcome indeed," he said. |
| "He is somebody who is held in very high regard by the Pakistan government. The next step we will be pushing for is an immediate release. | "He is somebody who is held in very high regard by the Pakistan government. The next step we will be pushing for is an immediate release. |
| "Hopefully, Mirza will be returning back home to Leeds very, very soon." | "Hopefully, Mirza will be returning back home to Leeds very, very soon." |
| Yorkshire and Humber MEP Edward McMillan-Scott said he planned to go to Pakistan in December to try to ensure Hussain was home before Christmas. | Yorkshire and Humber MEP Edward McMillan-Scott said he planned to go to Pakistan in December to try to ensure Hussain was home before Christmas. |
| He said: "I have been working with the family to secure Hussain's release and was planning a last-minute plea next month which will now become a plea for his return to Leeds for Christmas." | He said: "I have been working with the family to secure Hussain's release and was planning a last-minute plea next month which will now become a plea for his return to Leeds for Christmas." |
| Greg Mulholland, Hussain's local MP, called for an official statement confirming that Hussain would be released and allowed to return to his family in Leeds. | Greg Mulholland, Hussain's local MP, called for an official statement confirming that Hussain would be released and allowed to return to his family in Leeds. |
| Family reaction | Family reaction |
| A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We haven't been officially notified, but we welcome reports from the government of Pakistan that the sentence has been commuted to life on humanitarian grounds." | A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We haven't been officially notified, but we welcome reports from the government of Pakistan that the sentence has been commuted to life on humanitarian grounds." |
| The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad said it was not immediately clear where he would serve the sentence or whether he might be freed at some point. | The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad said it was not immediately clear where he would serve the sentence or whether he might be freed at some point. |
| Hussain's brother Amjad said his family would react to the news later on Thursday. | Hussain's brother Amjad said his family would react to the news later on Thursday. |
| He said they had not yet been given official confirmation from President Musharraf's office, but expected to receive it around 1030 GMT. | He said they had not yet been given official confirmation from President Musharraf's office, but expected to receive it around 1030 GMT. |
| Blood money | Blood money |
| He said: "The decision has not been officially confirmed... but if it is we are relieved, happy and are thankful to President Musharraf." | He said: "The decision has not been officially confirmed... but if it is we are relieved, happy and are thankful to President Musharraf." |
| Hussain's hanging was due to take place during the five-day royal trip by the prince and the Duchess of Cornwall in October, but it was initially delayed until 31 December after the prince wrote to Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz about the case. | Hussain's hanging was due to take place during the five-day royal trip by the prince and the Duchess of Cornwall in October, but it was initially delayed until 31 December after the prince wrote to Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz about the case. |
| He had been cleared by a high court in 1996 but an Islamic Sharia court took the case over and imposed the death penalty. | He had been cleared by a high court in 1996 but an Islamic Sharia court took the case over and imposed the death penalty. |
| The sentence could have been revoked if Khan's family had accepted an offer of blood money, but they refused. | The sentence could have been revoked if Khan's family had accepted an offer of blood money, but they refused. |