Political activist
Born: N/A
Profession: Political activist
Affiliation(s): Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)
Citizenship: Pakistan
Saulat Mirza, was a Pakistani convicted murderer, targeted killer, and a former political activist of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
In 1997, he was acquitted for a triple murder and was awarded a death sentence for targeting the murder of Shahid Hamid, a bureaucrat and managing-director of KESC (now K-Electric), along with his driver Ashraf Brohi, and his guard Khan Akbar, all of whom were killed in the neighborhood of Defence Housing Authority, Karachi on the 5 July 1997. After arrest by the CID in 1998 and upon returning from Bangkok, Mirza was awarded death sentence by the Anti-Terrorism Court on 24 May 1999. Since then, his family have filed clemency applications in two separate occasions: first in Sindh High Court in 2000 and in the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2002; all applications were rejected by the apex court.
In 2013, his family submitted another application to President of Pakistan for clemency which was also rejected. After a death warrant was issued on 11 March 2015, the execution was set to be carried out in Central Jail Mach in Balochistan on 19 March 2015. Upon hearing the execution news, his family begun pleading his case where his wife and sisters held multiple press conferences, demanding a re-investigation. After releasing a confession video to Geo News where he leveled charges on murder involvement of Altaf Hussain, Mirza's execution has been halted on Presidential orders and an active investigation against MQM has been launched by the Pakistan government.
He was executed in the early hours on May 12, 2015 at Machh jail after his sentence was deferred twice.
Background:
Saulat Mirza was born as Saulat Ali Khan in Karachi and grew up in the rural Malir neighborhood in Karachi, Sindh. In his interrogation process, he confirmed his Urdu-speaking background and his Yousafzai Pathan ancestry; his parents emigrated from what is now India to Pakistan at the time of the partition of British India. His father, Wajahat Ali Khan, worked as an army civilian staff clerk in the Pakistan Army, whereas mother was a housewife.
After matriculating from a local school, Mirza initially enrolled for pre-medical degree but instead earned getting intemediate diploma in Commerce from Pakistan Shipowners College. He eventually graduated from the BCom from the business school of Karachi University. It was during this time, Mirza joined the All Pakistan Muttahidda Students Organization (APMSO), taking strong participation in student politics. The APMSO is a student wing of then known for Mohajir Qaumi Movement later changed into Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). In his college years, Mirza was an avid fan of Pakistan cricket team and often played cricket as well as Table tennis. Mirza was described as young good looking and attractive person and a devoted worker of the MQM.
Political career and targeted killings
After joining the MQM and taking part in national politics, Mirza soon anticipated in illegal activities allegations such as extortion and involved in acquitting in political murders. At one time, Mirza was a major figure in the militant wing of the MQM as per Pakistani agencies allegations, running several death cells. In 1998, Mirza was arrested from Malir in a sting operation led by Aslam Khan of Crime Investigation Department (CID), and was described as a "prize catch."
He is accused of coordinating the murders of six U.S. nationals in Shahrah-e-Faisal in Karachi, but he denied involvement in the killing of two US diplomats and four U.S. nationals of an American Oil Company in the city in 1994 but actually those killing was done by Naeem nick Commando belongs to Punjabi Pakhtoon Itehad PPI who was also killed by Karachi Police. Since then, the FIA and the intelligence community had him under strict surveillance. Although, Mirza did admitted killing a number of people, including a Pakistani employee of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency in 1995.
On 5 July 1997, he shot and killed the Managing Director of Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) Shahid Hamid, his driver and guard in Karachi. He reportedly escaped to Bangkok and returned to Karachi in 1998 because CID arrested his family and asked him to come back or otherwise his family will be killed. On 11 December 1998, Mirza was arrested from the Jinnah Terminal by CID officer Aslam Khan.
During his arrest, Mirza confessed that he was involved in number of murders of innocent people, including several high-profile personalities, in the presence of DIG Sindh Police Ameen Qureshi.
On May 1999, the Anti-Terrorist Court awarded him a Death Sentence for Triple-Murder case of MD of Karachi Electric Supply Corporation Shahid Hamid, his driver Ashraf Brohi and guard Khan Akbar. The interesting part in this case is Shahid Hamid wife's statement, where first she said she was at home and heard gun shot. She came down from her first floor and she ran out, she found her husband car was at the corner of the street. Once she reached near to the car she found her husband, driver and guard was already dead. However, she changed her statement due to political pressure.
On April 2014, he was transferred to Machh jail Baluchistan Death Cell after his mercy plea was rejected by Sindh High Court and President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain.
Anti-Terrorism court issued black warrant on 12 March against Mirza to be executed on 19 March 2015 early morning at Machh Jail Baluchistan. Her Sister Filed a petition in Sindh High Court seeking delay in execution but two-Judge bench turned down her appeal.
Hours before Mirza's scheduled execution, a video tape was released on Electronic Media of Mirza's confession, in which he accused MQM of ordering him to perform the crime. MQM Chief Altaf Hussain said there was no evidence, but instead claimed a conspiracy against MQM.
Execution:
The execution originally scheduled for March 19, 2015 was deferred for 72 hours. An anti-terrorism court in Karachi re-issued a black warrant on 23 March 2015. Now he will be hanged on May 12, 2015 at 4:30am in Mach Jail, Baluchistan. On 12th May 2015 at 4:30 a.m., Saulat Mirza was hanged till death at Machh Jail in Baluchistan (Pakistan).
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