The President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain, has indefinitely stayed the execution of convict Shafqat Hussain.

The case involving Shafqat Hussain has garnered worldwide attention along with human rights activists voicing outrage over what they think was a flawed trial.

Shafqat Hussain was to be hanged in morning on Friday. The execution was to take place in the central jail. Shafqat was given death sentence for the kidnapping and manslaughter of a seven-year-old boy in an apartment building of Karachi where Shafqat worked as a security guard.

However, it was reported that President Hussain ordered the postponement of Shafqat's execution.

The President seemingly took the decision after interior minister chaudhry Nisar requested him to stop the hanging pending re-examining of the boy's age.

Communication Specialist for Justice Project Pakistan, Shahab Siddiqi said, "We have learnt from multiple sources that Shafqat's execution has been stayed. We have yet to see an official notification but personally handed over his mercy petition to an official of Presidency at 11:30pm (Wednesday)." The project is fighting to get a stay on Shafqat's execution.

The case of Shafqat has drawn attention as the boy was given the death sentence by the court when he was a juvenile and rights campaigners say Shafqat did not get a fair trial. Adding further the boy was only 15 at the time of the killing.

According to Shafqat's mother, Makhni Begum, the police had stated Shafqat's age as 20 at the time of his sentencing as the boy did not have any verified documents and the defense lawyer also did not raise any objection.