By Qaiser Sherazi
December 27, 2024
Rawalpindi – Pakistan has not carried out a single death sentence in the last ten years, leaving executioners largely jobless.
The absence of executions has resulted in the termination of 90% of executioners, with only 10% now working on a daily-wage basis. No executioners currently hold permanent positions.
Despite the Supreme Court rejecting final appeals for many death row inmates, 47 individuals are still awaiting execution. Many of their mercy petitions remain pending with the President of Pakistan, while a dozen others have filed review appeals.
Execution chambers, including those in Adiala Jail, are maintained regularly despite the lack of executions. Adiala Jail currently houses 231 death row inmates, including two women. Of these, 183 cases are pending in the Rawalpindi Bench of the High Court, while 48 are awaiting decisions in the Supreme Court. Additionally, 13 mercy petitions are awaiting the President’s verdict.
Advocate Shan Zaib Khan highlighted that Pakistan has signed international conventions with organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the Commonwealth, which discourage the implementation of death penalties. These global commitments have contributed to the de facto moratorium on executions.
Historically, executions have been rare in Pakistan, and the current global legal climate further complicates the enforcement of death sentences.
