Pakistan to continue moratorium on capital punishment

E-Paper | December 05, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has scrapped plans to reinstate the death penalty, the government said on Thursday, following threats by Taliban militants to step up attacks in retaliation.

A 2008 moratorium on capital punishment imposed by Pakistan's previous government expired on June 30 and the country had been due to execute two jailed militants in August — a plan described by the Pakistani Taliban as an act of war.

“Pakistan has decided to continue with the moratorium on capital punishment since the government is aware of its international commitments and is following them,” said Omar Hamid Khan, an interior ministry spokesman.

The new government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had originally said it wanted to reinstate the death penalty in a bid to crack down on criminals and militants in a move strongly criticised by international human rights groups.

In this respect, in August, the government had decided to hang four convicts on death row. The four prisoners, including two members of the banned sectarian outfit Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ), were scheduled to be executed at the Sukkur jail and Karachi Central prison on August 20, 21 and 22.

However, a temporary stay was ordered on these executions following objections from then president Asif Ali Zardari and rights groups.

Up to 8,000 people presently languish on death row in dozens of Pakistan's overcrowded and violent jails.

Pakistan's moratorium drew praise because of concerns its courts and police were too inept to ensure the accused a fair trial. Pakistan did, however, break its own rules in 2012 when it executed a convicted murderer and a former army serviceman.

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Abdul Khan

Oct 03, 2013 03:49pm

What sort of committments PML N has given and to who. What about our religion and our own people. Not all states in US have abolished death sentence.Are you so hungry for money and aid to abandon HolyQuran?

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Usman Ahsan

Oct 03, 2013 04:00pm

Shame that we fear international community more than we fear ALLAH then we complain that conditionsa re not changing - I am sad that we are loosing the very purpose for which we created this country - following the command of ALLAH and His legislations

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Muhammad Yaqub

Oct 03, 2013 04:03pm

1. The Government on its knees to Taliban threats. 2. Where is the CII now?? Or are Shariat Laws only applicable to women in this country??

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Ijaz

Oct 03, 2013 04:18pm

Fear of militants or international committments?

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Adeel Haider

Oct 03, 2013 05:40pm

Wow, now the terrorists know how to get away with all the murders of innocent people. They can kill anyone but the government is too scared to punish criminals. I always thought there was some hope left but now I think Pakistan is doomed forever. Sad but true.

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Rafi

Oct 03, 2013 06:26pm

Breach of Islamic principle of Qisas and Diyyah. Council of Islamic ideology are you listening?

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muhammad

Oct 03, 2013 07:05pm

Is International Community is responsible for the security and safety of innocent people of Pakistan ? further how many other international commitments are being honoured by our successive governments with regard to its law abiding citizens ? the answer is none ! then why only this privilege is being extended to the murderers / terrorists who have cold bloodedly taken the lives of innocent people moreover according to our Constitution no other law can supercede Quran and Sunnah and according to Quran & sunnah these murderers / terrorists should have been hanged otherwise they will keep on killing innocent people with great impunity

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wajahat

Oct 03, 2013 07:12pm

A misguided approach by the government. Our country is thew worst hit in the world, after Iraq, off course by the onslaught of terrorism and violence. We catch terrorists everyday but cannot convict them due to in effective anti terrorism laws, lack of witnesses or the systemic judicial problems. After passing through all this, those unlucky ones who do get convicted, dont get punished because of a self imposed moratorium, the reasons of which defy imagination. **Who are we fooling besides ourselves** Our country needs to hang these convicts.

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muhammad

Oct 03, 2013 09:13pm

Now where is Jamat e Islami and Ulema of Wafaq ul Madaris who are vociferous against any attempt to change the Hadood Ordinance

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Quratulain

Oct 03, 2013 10:26pm

Kill 100 people in Pakistan and you won't get punishment according to law even after Supreme Court's order.

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Omer

Oct 03, 2013 10:34pm

What else do you expect from this govt? Conviction record of terrorists by our "independent judiciary" is otherwise dismally low. Those who are apprehended after much efforts, are either released by the courts or by their comrades in arms through attacks on jails. This moratorium is essentially designed to give additional opportunities to convicted terrorists to be freed.

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Ali

Oct 04, 2013 02:21am

Bad choice, that's all we need. Never learn.

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A. Sattar

Oct 04, 2013 04:12am

Pakistan's commitment is to it's constitution first, and then international commitment as long as it meets the constitution of Pakistan. Terrorist, criminals and foreign paid agents can move in Pakistan without any fear and commit atrocities against the innocent civilians of Pakistan with impunity. There is no provision to remove death penalty in the constitution of Pakistan, if the government wants it, then it should bring in a constitutional change, other hang all those who have been awarded death by the honorable courts of Pakistan .

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sikander_

Oct 04, 2013 07:44am

A sad day for Pakistan. A very bad decision. Pakistan must not bow to the terrorists. Wake up Nawaz Sharif Sahib. It is time to act and send a message to the criminals. Otherwise, you will be equally responsible for all the mess and chaos. Work for dignity and social moral values.

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IBN-E-ASHFAQUE

Oct 04, 2013 04:18pm

These people consider their promises to the kufaars more important than their promises with Allah. The country under such rulers will only experience trials and tribulations. May Allah help us all.

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Fareed N

Oct 05, 2013 02:38pm

How to destroy your credibility, exactly the way Nawaz Sharif is doing. If you did not want to carry out execution, why announce it ? Either abolish death penalty or do it as constitution tells you. So the mass murderers get reprieve but the victim's family face life long agony.

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