Mirza Tahir Hussain, 36, from Leeds in northern England, has spent half his life in a Pakistani jail fighting a death sentence for killing a taxi driver.

The decision on his fate follows three stays of execution ordered by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and comes despite a vocal campaign by Hussain's family to save his life.

"Mirza Tahir Hussain's new execution date is November 1," an official at Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi, a garrison city adjoining the capital Islamabad, told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"The third extension given to him by the president was until October 1. Before that the jail authorities wrote a letter to the court seeking orders to hang the convict on expiry of the stay," the official added.

"The court issued an order last week fixing the execution on November 1, as there are no executions in Ramadan (the Muslim holy month of fasting)," he said.

A spokesman for the British High Commission (embassy) in Islamabad confirmed that Pakistani authorities had given them notice of the new execution date.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair urged Pervez Musharraf yesterday to intervene again to halt the hanging of a British national, scheduled during an upcoming royal visit.

Blair warned of "very serious" consequences if the execution of Mirza Tahir Hussain were to go ahead on November 1

"I hope even at this stage that there is an intervention to ensure this does not take place. I think it would be very serious if it does," Blair said, when asked about the case in the House of Commons.

He noted that he had made a personal representation over the case to Musharraf during a recent visit to London by the Pakistani leader.