#Islamabad: Pakistani officials on Monday said that Pakistan is planning to execute around 500 terrorists in coming weeks after the government lifted a moratorium on the death penalty in terror cases following a death of 141 people including 132 children in army-run school of Peshawar on December 16.
Notify that six militants have been hanged since Friday after rising public anger over massacre of Peshawar.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has ended the six-year moratorium on the death penalty, reinstating it for terrorism-related cases after the deadliest terror attack in Pakistani history.
A senior official over the condition of anonymity said to AFP, “Interior ministry has finalized the cases of 500 convicts who have exhausted all the appeals, their mercy petitions have been turned down by the president and their executions will take place in coming weeks.”
The information had been confirmed by another official.
Of the six hanged so far, five were involved in a failed attempt to assassinate the then-military ruler Pervez Musharraf in 2003, while one was involved in a 2009 attack on army headquarters.
Police, troops and paramilitary Rangers have been deployed across the country and airports and prisons put on red alert as the executions take place and troops intensify operations against Taliban militants in northwestern tribal areas.
A government spokesperson said that Sharif has ordered the attorney general’s office to “actively pursue” capital cases currently in the courts.
He also said, “Prime Minister has also issued directions for appropriate measures for early disposal of pending cases related to terrorism.”
Notify that Pakistan has described the bloody rampage of Tuesday as its own “mini 9/11”, calling it a game-changer in the fight against extremism.
Meanwhile human rights groups with United Nations had condemned the executions and demand for reconsideration.
Human Rights Watch on Saturday termed the executions “a craven politicized reaction to the Peshawar killings” and demanded that no further hangings be carried out.
Bureau Report
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