The last execution in Pakistan was in November 2008, soon after the end of General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf's military rule, said Farooq Nazeer, chief of prisons in Punjab.—Reuters (File Photo)

PARIS: France on Thursday condemned the hanging of a Pakistani soldier convicted of murder and called for the country to renew its moratorium on executions and work towards abolishing the death penalty.

“This decision constitutes a step backwards in Pakistan’s move towards greater respect for human rights,” French foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot told reporters.

Mohammad Hussain, condemned to death by a court martial in 2008 for killing a superior over a personal dispute, was hanged Thursday at Mianwali jail in the country’s first execution in four years, officials said.

Pakistan has had an unofficial moratorium on executions in recent years, with President Asif Ali Zardari regularly issuing stay orders for condemned prisoners.

Farooq Nazeer, chief of prisons in the central province of Punjab, said the hanging was not a civilian execution and the government did not intervene in military cases.

He said the last execution in Pakistan was in November 2008, soon after the end of military rule.

Opinion

Editorial

Rigging claims
Updated 04 May, 2024

Rigging claims

The PTI’s allegations are not new; most elections in Pakistan have been controversial, and it is almost a given that results will be challenged by the losing side.
Gaza’s wasteland
04 May, 2024

Gaza’s wasteland

SINCE the start of hostilities on Oct 7, Israel has put in ceaseless efforts to depopulate Gaza, and make the Strip...
Housing scams
04 May, 2024

Housing scams

THE story of illegal housing schemes in Punjab is the story of greed, corruption and plunder. Major players in these...
Under siege
Updated 03 May, 2024

Under siege

Whether through direct censorship, withholding advertising, harassment or violence, the press in Pakistan navigates a hazardous terrain.
Meddlesome ways
03 May, 2024

Meddlesome ways

AFTER this week’s proceedings in the so-called ‘meddling case’, it appears that the majority of judges...
Mass transit mess
03 May, 2024

Mass transit mess

THAT Karachi — one of the world’s largest megacities — does not have a mass transit system worth the name is ...