Nawaz Sharif directs Interior ministry to put executions on hold
Executions on hold till September 9, government will review decision after new president takes oath.
Government will review the decision after the new president assumes office. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Friday, directed the interior ministry to halt executions until September 9, Express News reported.
Sharif met President Zardari Thursday night at the President House, where the head of the state told the premiere that his government had stopped implementation of death sentences of several accused terrorists and criminals for five years as per the party policy.
He also wished that the five-year moratorium should be put on hold until September 9, after which the government can review the decision with the new president, Mamnoon Hussain, who will assume office on September 9.
Since the authority to decide whether capital punishment should be implemented or not rests with the head of the state, Nawaz Sharif directed the interior ministry to hold the execution of death sentences.
Nawaz Sharif had earlier said that he would not come under pressure from any threat related to the policy on the death penalty. The Taliban have said they will consider the executions of any of its prisoners a declaration of war.
Official figures state that Pakistan has more than 7,000 prisoners on death row, one of the largest populations of prisoners facing execution in the world.
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[poll id="1205"]
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Friday, directed the interior ministry to halt executions until September 9, Express News reported.
Sharif met President Zardari Thursday night at the President House, where the head of the state told the premiere that his government had stopped implementation of death sentences of several accused terrorists and criminals for five years as per the party policy.
He also wished that the five-year moratorium should be put on hold until September 9, after which the government can review the decision with the new president, Mamnoon Hussain, who will assume office on September 9.
Since the authority to decide whether capital punishment should be implemented or not rests with the head of the state, Nawaz Sharif directed the interior ministry to hold the execution of death sentences.
Nawaz Sharif had earlier said that he would not come under pressure from any threat related to the policy on the death penalty. The Taliban have said they will consider the executions of any of its prisoners a declaration of war.
Official figures state that Pakistan has more than 7,000 prisoners on death row, one of the largest populations of prisoners facing execution in the world.
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[poll id="1205"]