A British Subject

Details

A British Subject is the true account of how Daily Mirror journalist Don Mackay became the first journalist to interview Mirza Tahir Hussain during his time on death row, breaking the story to the British press. After meeting Tahir and hearing of his plight to gain freedom a close bond developed between the two, leading the reporter and his wife, Nichola McAuliffe, to become deeply involved in the case. Mirza Tahir Hussian is the British man who was finally released on 17 November 2006 after spending a total of 18 years on death row in Pakistan for the murder of a taxicab driver named Jamshed Khan in 1988, a crime which Tahir claims he committed in self-defence, as Khan pulled out a gun and tried to sexually assault him. In the ensuing struggle, the gun went off, fatally injuring Khan. In 2006 Daily Mirror journalist Don Mackay got a visa to visit Pakistan by pretending to be a cricket-mad lawyer. On arrival Don used his visa to visit Tahir in prison and on death row for the disputed murder of a taxi driver. The exclusive interview inspired Don to pursue the case publicly with Don and wife Nichola phoning everyone they knew and a few people they didn't in the race to free Tahir before he was sentenced to death by hanging.

Cast/Performers

Nichola McAuliffe, Tom Cotcher, Kulvinder Ghir, Shiv Grewal

Creatives/Company

Author: Nichola McAuliffe
Producer: The Pleasance
Director: Hannah Eidinow