President rejects mercy appeal of 17 death penalty convicts

Published December 18, 2014
President Mamnoon Hussain. — AFP/File
President Mamnoon Hussain. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Thursday rejected appeal to mercy of 17 criminals convicted for death penalty.

Out of those 17 convicted for terrorism, 10 belong to Punjab, six from Sindh and one from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The execution is expected to be carried soon, Dawn has learnt.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had lifted moratorium on death penalty for those convicted for terrorism after a deadly attack on Army Public School in Peshawar left more than 130 children dead on Dec 16.

Read: Nawaz removes moratorium on death penalty

Addressing an All Parties Conference (APC), the premier had announced that the moratorium on death penalty, which was imposed under international pressure, has been lifted.

LHC directs federal, provincial govts to submit comments on death row convicts

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed provisional and federal governments to submit their para-wise comments by January 9, 2015, regarding inmates who were convicted on terrorism charges and are currently on death row.

Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Mohammad Azhar Siddique filed an application a day before, in which he asked the court to direct the federal and provisional governments in the process of issuing death warrants for those convicted for terrorism, and are currently on death row.

Siddique in his application also sought answers to questions as to why it was taking so long for the death warrants to be issued and why were some cases still pending.

Read: ‘End of moratorium to affect those convicted under anti-terror laws’

Prime Minister Nawaz meets President Mamnoon

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met President Mamnoon Hussain at the President House and apprised him about the decisions made at the APC in Peshawar.

Both the heads approved of a decisive action against terrorists for swift elimination of terrorism across Pakistan and said that children could not be left on the mercy of terrorists.

President Mamnoon backed all executive orders against elimination of terrorists and said no mercy appeal of any convicted terrorist would be accepted, Presidential spokesman told Dawn.

President Mamnoon and Prime Minister Nawaz termed consensus of all political stakeholders in the country showed Pakistan's real strength of its war against terrorism.

Read: Apologists will be regarded as terrorists, allies of terrorists, says Sherry Rehman

Opinion

Editorial

High cost of living
Updated 04 Oct, 2024

High cost of living

There will be no let-up in the pain of middle-class people when it comes to grocery expenses, school fees, and hospital bills.
Regional response
04 Oct, 2024

Regional response

IT is welcome that Afghanistan’s neighbours are speaking with one voice when it comes to the critical issue of...
Cultural conservation
04 Oct, 2024

Cultural conservation

THE Sindh government’s recent move to declare the Sayad Hashmi Reference Library as a protected heritage site is...
Judicial infighting
03 Oct, 2024

Judicial infighting

As other state institutions grow more assertive, continued failure to present a united front will increasingly endanger SC's authority.
Iranian salvo
Updated 03 Oct, 2024

Iranian salvo

With the US and UK egging on Israel, instead of reining in their rabid ally, it is difficult to foresee a negotiated denouement of this conflict.
Chance to play well
03 Oct, 2024

Chance to play well

THE announcement came without warning very late on Tuesday night. Merely six months since his reappointment and 11...