EU warns Pakistan against lifting ban on death penalty

The European Union has cautioned Pakistan against lifting the moratorium on the death penalty saying the proposed move will be viewed as a major setback by the 28-member bloc and could possibly affect Islamabad's quest for duty-free access to European markets.

Head of European Parliament Sub-Committee on Human Rights Ana Gomes on Tuesday voiced the EU's stance against the death penalty.

"The EU is opposed to the capital punishment in all cases without exception. The EU delegation hopes that the moratorium on the death penalty will be extended, which will be a key step in the right direction," Gomes said, adding that it will be viewed as a major setback if Pakistan lifted the moratorium.

Gomes, along with EU MP Andrzej Grzyb, is on a fact-finding mission to assess the country's human rights situation, in particular that of women and children. The EU warning comes at a time when the Taliban have also threatened to attack key government installations, if the government executed the captured Taliban fighters.

"The EU Parliament will soon vote on developing economic relations with Pakistan and it will take into account all considerations including human rights," Gomes was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.

EU Ambassador to Pakistan Lars Wigemark said the moratorium on the death penalty was not directly linked with the Generalised System of Preference plus status, which Islamabad is seeking for duty-free access, but by declaring a moratorium, Pakistan would take a positive step that the country could exploit in its negotiations with the EU.

"What we want is that the capital punishment should not be awarded," Gomes added.

Rights campaign group Amnesty International estimates that Pakistan has more than 8,000 prisoners on death row, most of whom have exhausted the appeals process. On the blasphemy law, Gomes said it was a sensitive topic but many people in Pakistan shared their views.

"The blasphemy issue is bringing a bad reputation to Pakistan and we have conveyed this to the government," Gomes said.

She also expressed alarm about the poor human rights situation of women and girls in Pakistan.

Gomes said, Pakistan was required to take decisive actions to combat discrimination against minorities and sectarian killings