Asif Ali Zardari suspended the death sentence of more than 50 prisoners being held in the jails of Punjab and Sindh. The death sentence of the prisoners which was scheduled to be held some time in January has been suspended till March 31. The president had sent a notification to the interior ministry who will now further notify the provincial governments regarding the decision. Mercy petitions of around 467 prisoners languishing in the jails of Punjab were lying pending with the presidency. Out of these, 57 petitions had been rejected by the president, however, their death sentence had been suspended till March 31. Around 467 mercy petitions are pending with the president, 893 with the Supreme Court of Pakistan, 4981 with the Lahore High Court, 15 appeals with the Federal Shariat Court and 3 with the General Head Quarters. Out of the 6479 prisoners in the 26 prisons of Punjab who had been given death sentences, 552 were locked up in the Sahiwal Jail.
