ISLAMABAD: Prison authorities across the country will not be carrying out executions from the first of Ramzan till Eidul Fitr.
The decision to temporarily suspend the death penalty comes in view of the sanctity of the holy month. President Arif Alvi will also deliberate upon and is expected to grant presidential pardons over the course of Ramzan.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government had imposed a moratorium on capital punishment after coming to power in 2008.
The moratorium was, however, lifted by the Nawaz Sharif-led government through an executive order after the 2014 terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar.
The decision was endorsed by parliament through 21st Constitutional Amendment in January 2015 which sought to establish military courts for speedy trials in terrorist offences and acts threatening the security of Pakistan. The move was part of the National Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy to deal with the menace of terrorism.
Since then, Pakistan has executed almost 500 prisoners. The number accounted for 13 per cent of the total executions carried out globally between 2015 and 2017.
There are currently 289 death row prisoners at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, 12 out of whom are women who have challenged the death penalty in apex and high courts. At least 18 of the death row prisoners are awaiting a decision on clemency pleas.