Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani announced a gift for the condemned prisoners on the floor of the national assembly, when he was addressing it on the occasion on the first birthday of Ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto after her martyrdom.
The PM announced that government of PPP wanted to commute all death sentences to life imprisonment and this commutation would be a gift for condemned prisoners from our government. He also announced that a summary for this purpose would be sent to President of Pakistan. But so far this gift has not been given.
Eight thousands condemned prisoners on death row have been waiting anxiously as there has been no headway since the last three years. The condemned prisoners have pinned their hopes on the announcement of the Prime Minister.
The PPP government also commuted all death sentences to life imprisonment when it came into power in 1988, after a long struggle and sacrifices for true democracy. It is worth noting that present government of PPP has also proved its goodwill towards condemned prisoners by reprieve; execution of prisoners on death row has been stopped since the present government of PPP has come into power.
It is requested to the PM to not test the nerves of prisoners on death row and to handover their gift to them for God’s sake; the gift which you promised them in 2008. PM Benazir Bhutto’s birthday is again coming in June 2011 and three years is a long time to wait.
A CONDEMNED PRISONER
Adiyala Jail, Rawalpindi
