Pakistan would have to revive a moratorium on death penalty if it is to continue to reap the benefits of the Generalized System of Preferences Plus status till 2023, granted by the European Union. In an interview with Business Recorder on Wednesday, Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce Mian Najeebuddin Awaisi said the government is fully focused on increasing its exports to European countries by complying with all their requirements.
"Some European countries have conveyed their concerns over the death penalty in the country and our Foreign Office has also formally briefed their ambassadors here on the issue," he said. The parliamentary secretary said the country was facing the menace of terrorism and extremism and the removal of the moratorium on death penalty was considered necessary for a sustainable deterrence against the terrorists.
He clarified that the government was forced to amend the relevant laws for the constitution of military courts to try those found guilty of heinous crimes as the civil courts and state prosecution lacked capacity to try them without fear to their lives and property.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif approved removal of moratorium on death penalty on December 17, 2014 after the terrorist attack on Peshawar's Army Public School which claimed 144 lives, mainly that of children.
At the time the government stated that it was lifting the moratorium on death penalty only in terrorism-related cases, but later criminals involved in other heinous crime like murder were also hanged. The parliamentary secretary, however, insisted the death penalty was still being awarded to people involved in terrorism. The GSP Plus status awarded to Pakistan in December 2013, has helped the country boost its exports by 1.7 billion euros per annum and bilateral trade by more than $7 billion, he said.
He said the country's main exports to the European countries consist of textile, leather and medical equipment, constituting over 60 percent of the country's total exports.
Under the GSP Plus status, Pakistan has to comply with all the 27 United Nations conventions including human rights, labour and environmental laws. The parliamentary secretary claimed the country had ratified all the UN conventions relating to the GSP Plus status.
He said the federal and provincial governments have also passed some laws in recent years to improve human and labour rights, climate change, good governance and protection of religious minorities.
Dutch Ambassador to Pakistan Jeannette Seppen told journalists on January 14, 2017 that Pakistan may put its GSP Plus status at risk if it fails to restore moratorium on death penalty.
"Pakistan may face problems in the GSP Plus scheme because of the death penalty, but we hope that a moratorium on death penalty will be restored," the ambassador said.
The mandate of military courts to try civilians on terrorism charges expired on January 7, 2017, but the government is negotiating with other political parties to extend them for at least another year.