Mirza Tahir Hussain, a British man of Pakistani origin, was saved from the gallows by the intervention of President Pervez Musharraf after direct appeals from the British Government and European Parliament.

Hussain was due to be hanged after a previous stay of execution expired on June 1. The fresh extension means he has another month’s reprieve to reach a "blood money" deal or possibly face the gallows.

"The family of the victim sent an appeal to the President. He’s given an extension for one month," Tasnim Aslam, a spokeswoman for Pakistan Foreign Ministry, said. "During this time, they (Hussain’s family) are to work out a mutually agreed arrangement with the family of the victim."

According to Islamic sharia law, the victim’s family can pardon the murderer in return for so-called "blood-money".

Hussain’s brother, Amjad Hussain, welcomed the news but added the fight was not over. "It is a step in the right direction but I am not joyous because it means my brother would stay in jail indefinitely," he said.

The brother claimed that the taxi driver’s family turned down an offer of £18,000 first made six years ago.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office told Times Online that the month extension was no guarantee of a complete reprieve from the death sentence, adding it would continue to lobby the Pakistan Government for a jail sentence rather than the death penalty.

Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary, wrote a letter stating this position to General Musharraf last week. Hilary Benn, International Development Secretary, also wrote to the Pakistani leader in his capacity as Hussain’s local MP.

Hussain was arrested in the garrison town of Rawalpindi in 1988 and charged with murdering taxi driver, Janshir Khan. He claimed that the driver tried to sexually assault him and pulled out a gun. In the ensuing struggle, the gun went off and Khan was killed.

Hussain will turn 36 on June 1, marking 18 years in a Pakistani jail. Initially, he was acquitted by Pakistan’s High Court but that ruling was overturned by the Islamic Federal Shariat Court that sentenced him to death by hanging in 1998.

That sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2003.

Hussain’s brother said their grandfather would restart negotiations with Khan’s family as soon as possible. "I hope they do the honourable thing and spare his ordeal," he said. "The ball is in their court. My doors are open. I think I am very pessimistic...but anyway we have to wait and see."

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