ISLAMABAD: Justifying the government decision to end a moratorium on the death penalty across the country, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that the decision was an “internal matter” for Pakistan.

“I can understand the concern of our friends in the international community,” the minister told British High Commissioner Philip Barton, who had called on him on Wednesday.

The international community and rights groups have expressed concerns over the decision to end the moratorium, which is being viewed as a regressive move.

Know more: Death penalty moratorium lifted completely in Pakistan: Officials

The minister said that after the withdrawal of the moratorium on capital punishment for terrorism-related cases, it was not possible to maintain a partial moratorium in other cases because that would be discriminatory and against the law and the Constitution.

‘I can understand the concern of our friends in the international community’

He said that the law did not allow partiality or discrimination in its implementation. Saying that Pakistan had an independent judiciary that would ensure the rights of every defendant, he said that due process would be followed, in letter and spirit.

The minister said that taking the fight against militants and extremists to its logical conclusion was the government’s foremost priority and no stone would be left unturned to achieve this end.

The UK high commissioner and the minister discussed matters of interest to both nations. The interior minister’s recent visit to the UK and his meetings with the British leadership also came under discussion, as well as the situation in the region.

Meanwhile, Christoph Strässer, a German MP and a federal government commissioner for Human Rights Policy And Humanitarian Aid, also expressed grave concerns over the lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty. According to a press release issued by the Ger­man Embassy here on Wednes­day, Strasser said: “I am disappointed by the decision of the Pakistani government to completely lift the death penalty moratorium. Capital punishment is inhuman and is no deterrent,” he remarked while speaking at an event held in Lahore.

Mr Strässer raised several human rights issues during his trip, including the situation of religious and ethnic minorities, religious freedom and freedom of expression as well as women’s and children’s rights.

He especially emphasised the importance of social and labour rights in the context of Pakistan’s commitment to fulfilling GSP+ conditions.

He urged Germany’s partners in Pakistan to reconsider the decision and pointed out that Germany had abolished death penalty when the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in 1949. All European Union (EU) members have abolished death penalty and advocated world-wide abolition of death penalty, he said. 

Published in Dawn March 12th , 2015

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