Pakistan has 6,161 prisoners on death row: report

Published October 10, 2024
Image showing a banner saying “say no to death penalty” during a protest. — AFP
Image showing a banner saying “say no to death penalty” during a protest. — AFP

A total of 6,161 Pakistani prisoners were on death row in 2024, an increase from last year’s 6,039, according to a report by Justice Project Pakistan (JPP).

The JPP is a Lahore-based, non-profit legal action firm that represents the most vulnerable Pakistani prisoners facing the harshest punishments, at home and abroad.

The NGO recently released the third edition of its annual report called Death Penalty in Pakistan: Data Mapping Capital Punishment commemorating the 22nd World Day Against the Death Penalty.

The report showed that 6,161 prisoners were on death row in Pakistan which was an increase from 6,039 reported in 2023. The highest number was in Punjab at 2505 followed by KP at 2311 prisoners on death row.

The number contrasted with earlier trends such as in 2022 when the death row population stood at 3,226.

The 2024 edition extensively covered Pakistan’s death penalty landscape by consolidating both quantitative and qualitative data.

The report not only presents a statistical overview of death row but also delves into the underlying issues within Pakistan’s criminal justice system that perpetuate the use of capital punishment,“ he statement said.

Pakistan was ranked as “one of the highest users of the death penalty globally” which is a “sobering statistic” highlighting “the urgent need for reform”, according to the report.

It said that Pakistan has not carried out capital punishment since December 2019 but it “remains one of the most prolific users of capital punishment, with over 31 crimes punishable by death”.

The report was available for public access on the NGO’s digital platform.

“We invite policymakers, advocates, and the general public to engage with this data as part of a broader dialogue on justice reform,” the statement said.

“Through this report, JPP seeks to magnify the individual stories behind these statistics, highlighting the often overlooked human toll of state-sanctioned executions,” it added.

Opinion

From hard to harder

From hard to harder

Instead of ‘hard state’ turning even harder, citizens deserve a state that goes soft on them in delivering democratic and development aspirations.

Editorial

Canal unrest
Updated 03 Apr, 2025

Canal unrest

With rising water scarcity in Indus system, it is crucial to move towards a consensus-driven policymaking process.
Iran-US tension
03 Apr, 2025

Iran-US tension

THE Trump administration’s threats aimed at Iran do not bode well for global peace, and unless Washington changes...
Flights to history
03 Apr, 2025

Flights to history

MOHENJODARO could have been the forgotten gold we desperately need. Instead, this 5,000-year-old well of antiquity ...
Eid amidst crises
Updated 31 Mar, 2025

Eid amidst crises

Until the Muslim world takes practical steps to end these atrocities, these besieged populations will see no joy.
Women’s rights
Updated 01 Apr, 2025

Women’s rights

Such judgements, and others directly impacting women’s rights should be given more airtime in media.
Not helping
Updated 02 Apr, 2025

Not helping

If it's committed to peace in Balochistan, the state must draw a line between militancy and legitimate protest.