ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Baleeghur Rahman informed the Senate on Tuesday that there were a total of 6,016 death row convicts imprisoned in various jails across the country.

During the question hour, he said that the process for execution of the convicts who had availed of all legal options and whose mercy petitions had also been rejected continued as per law since Dec 17 last year.

The last such prisoner, Mohammad Aslam, was executed in the Bahawalpur jail in September.

In reply to another question, the minister said that according to the Integrated Border Management System of the FIA, the number of foreigners, other than diplomats, residing in Pakistan stood at 491,905.

They had arrived through various designated immigration entry points between April 2007 and Aug 10 this year, and did not return to their native countries.

The house was informed that 588 people were killed and 1,007 injured in 821 acts of terror in the country from January to August this year.

Mr Rahman said that despite constraints, the performance of National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta) was satisfactory. It was mandated to implement the National Internal Security Policy and the National Action Plan.

The minister said a robust mechanism was in place for transparency in carrying out executions and implementation of the National Action Plan.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2015

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