Supreme Court moved for commuting death sentence of 52 prisoners

An advocate of Supreme Court, Muhammad Siddique Khan, on Tuesday filed a constitutional petition, as pro bono publico, seeking either release or conversion of death sentence into life imprisonment of the prisoners being kept in death cells for over eight years.
The petition has been filed under Article 184(3) on behalf of 52 prisoners awaiting their death sentences in various jails across the country from 8 to 15 years, and has made Federation of Pakistan, through Attorney General of Pakistan, as respondent.
The petition says that it pertains to public interest litigation, as its objective is to provide relief to the condemned prisoners who, after confirmation of death sentences, are detained in death cells for about 8 to 15 years and still their fate hangs in the balance.
The petition has taken the ground that since the government had commuted the death sentence of Kashmir Singh, a notorious spy of India, who played a key role in separating Pakistan's East Wing (now Bangladesh) which gave birth to unforgettable carnage, was set free at liberty in full media glare.
It is, therefore, prayed that the condemned prisoners named in the petition and those who are not named, kindly be shifted from death cells to ordinary prisons all over the country during the pendency of the petition/appeal/review in the apex court, said the petition.
According to a report issued by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on the institution of the death penalty, Pakistan is among the top killers under globally applicable law.
Siddique told Business Recorder that approximately 9,000 convicts are awaiting execution. In recent years, crime rate has increased instead of going down as was expected using death penalty as deterrent, he added.
He said that the government acquitted Kashmir Singh with 'royal pomp and show', but the Indian government, in response, sent dead body of a Pakistani citizen. He said that he has filed the petition as a pro bono publico on behalf of prisoners awaiting their death sentence from 8 to 15 years and has prayed for the conversion of their death sentence into life imprisonment.