ISLAMABAD: The European Union mission in Islamabad condemned on Wednesday Pakistan’s decision to restart executions in the wake of the country’s bloodiest-ever terrorist attack.

The decision came amid public outrage over a Taliban massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar which killed 150 people, including 134 children.

The EU mission said in a statement it stood by Pakistan in its grief but remained opposed to capital punishment in all circumstances.

“We believe that the death penalty is not an effective tool in the fight against terrorism,” it said.

“The EU Delegation regrets the decision of the Government of Pakistan to lift the moratorium on executions ... (and) we hope that the moratorium will be re-established at the earliest.”

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2014