Islamabad: Pakistan's government has halted all state executions temporarily, just a week ahead of the planned hangings of several al Qaeda-linked militants.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed said Sunday that the executions were halted until Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari held talks. The minister says Sharif will see Zardari when the latter returns from a trip abroad.
In 2012, Pakistan carried out its first execution since 2008. The previous government had put in place a moratorium on executions.
Some convicts, including members of an al Qaeda linked Pakistani Sunni militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, were scheduled to be hanged next week.
Amnesty International has said Pakistan has more than 8,000 prisoners on death row, most of whom have exhausted the appeals process, and could now be facing execution.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed said Sunday that the executions were halted until Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari held talks. The minister says Sharif will see Zardari when the latter returns from a trip abroad.
In 2012, Pakistan carried out its first execution since 2008. The previous government had put in place a moratorium on executions.
Amnesty International has said Pakistan has more than 8,000 prisoners on death row, most of whom have exhausted the appeals process, and could now be facing execution.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Watch: Babar Azam Cops Blow From Teammate's Vicious Delivery, Gets Bowled Next Ball Pakistan Release Abrar Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam From 1st Test Squad vs Bangladesh UAE Possible Candidate To Host Women's T20 World Cup 2024, Bangladesh Ask For More Time Indian-Origin Family, On Way To Daughter's College, Killed In US Car Crash Woman Doctor Assaulted By Drunk Patient, His Relatives At Mumbai Hospital BJP Leader, 2 Doctors Summoned Over 'Fake News' On Kolkata Rape-Murder "They Were Men": Trump Again Slams Olympic Gold Medalists Amid Gender Row Questions That CBI Asked RG Kar Hospital Ex-Principal Over Kolkata Horror Imane Khelif, And The Scourge Of 'Transvestigators' Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.