The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Hyderabad Chapter took out the protest rally on Saturday to mark World Day against the Death Penalty. The rally was taken out from Radio Pakistan Hyderabad which ended at Hyderabad Press Club where a large number of people from different walk of live including civil society participated.
They were holding banners inscribed with message demanding abolishing Death Penalty in the country. World Day against Death Penalty is observed every year on October 10 to create awareness about day and its importance. Leading the protest, Coordinator HRCP Hyderabad, Dr Ashothama urged the government to urgently institute safeguards to ensure that a generalized resumption of executions does not violate Pakistan's human rights. The government should take stock of the pressing issues that have arisen ever since it terminated the moratorium in December last year, he said while talking media.
"In addition to the various and well-documented challenges that a generalised recourse to capital punishment presents, there is an urgent need to introduce safeguards in instances where the age of the convict or his or her mental or physical ability is in question", he said.
Social Activist Punhal Sario said that the death penalty should be suspended in the country as a first step towards abolition. This issue should be urgently addressed through a conscious policy and not merely through last minute action in response to pleas from civil society in individual cases, he said while urging the government. Among others, Razzak Umarani, Javed Soz, Chandan Malhi, Asghar Laghari were present on the occasion.