October 20, 2006	Friday	Ramazan 26, 1427

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LAHORE, Oct 19: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed shock and horror at the negative approach of the authorities in execution of prisoners convicted of death.

In a press release on Thursday, it says presently there are 7,400 prisoners on death row in the country with approximately 6,889 in Punjab alone. Amongst these 42 are women and at least one is a minor. This year has seen the highest number of executions with 41 already reported to have been hung to death.

The HRCP has monitored a few cases of death penalty and come to the horrifying conclusion that in a number of cases, due process was not followed or that the evidence was not compelling enough to prescribe capital punishment. In other cases co-accused who could afford to pay their way out of death were set free, while the vulnerable remain convicted.

Khatoon Bibi in Haripur jail is awaiting her death sentence to be executed, while her co-accused (male) is set free on payment of Diyat.

Death penalty has also been imposed under controversial facts. In the case of Tahir Mirza, one court concluded but did not deliver a judgment that he should be acquitted, while the other imposed a death sentence. In another case the accused has enough evidence to show that he was not even in the country when the crime alleged to him was committed.

The HRCP is particularly disturbed by the case of Rana Muhammad Naveed who was given life imprisonment by the military court but his petition to the high court and subsequently the Supreme Court enhanced his sentence to death. Rana Naveed is alleged to have made an attempt on the life of the president. His wife and children are being held in Adiyala jail through no fault of theirs.

Justice will remain a sham if irreversible death sentences are passed without any regard to the rule of law and as an instrument of state revenge. It will deteriorate the level of security for people and bring the law into contempt.

The HRCP hopes that the government will take the sensible step of placing a moratorium of all death sentences, till all cases are reviewed according to the international norms applicable to capital punishment. Such penal sanctions are irreversible and courts should not casually sentence people to death.