Nawaz lifts moratorium on death penalty

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday approved the removal of moratorium on death penalty after the carnage in Peshawar killed about people. Addressing an All Parties Conference (APC) in Peshawar, the prime mnister announced that the moratorium on death penalty, which was imposed under international pressure, has been lifted. ‘The prime minister has abolished the moratorium on death penalty in terrorism-related cases,’ an official from Nawaz’s office said. Soon after resuming office, the newly-elected government, led by Nawaz Sharif had said it wanted to reinstate the death penalty in a bid to crack down on criminals and militants. In this respect, the government had decided to hang four convicts on death row in August last year. However, a temporary stay was ordered on these executions following objections from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and rights groups, according to a news agency.