ISLAMABAD: A United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) committee adopted a draft resolution demanding a moratorium on death penalty, the APP news agency reported on Sunday, as Pakistan and several other countries voted against it for undermining the principle of state sovereignty.
Pakistan lifted the death penalty moratorium after a militant attack on a school in December 2014 in which more than a hundred children lost their lives.
Initially, it only resumed executions for people involved in terrorism offenses, though it later extended it to all capital cases.
Explaining Pakistan’s decision to vote against the draft resolution upheld by the UNGA’s 193-member Third Committee, a Pakistani delegate, Muhammad Rashid, said his country did not agree with its overall framework.
The Pakistani official maintained there was no international consensus for or against the death penalty, adding it was therefore every country’s right to decide its own law dealing with the issue.
“Death penalty when applied in accordance with due process of law and judicial safeguards, does not infringe on any other human right,” he maintained, adding that the “right to life must be protected for the victims of horrific and most serious crimes as well.”
Earlier, while speaking on behalf of the European Union, Czech Republic said all regional states were pushing for the draft resolution since capital punishment failed to deter criminal behavior.
“Justice systems are run by humans and are therefore exposed to mistakes and aggravated by social stigmas and political pressure, particularly in countries with no independent judiciary,” the EU statement said, adding “the death penalty primarily affects poorer persons and those belonging to marginalized groups.”
The draft resolution would call on countries to progressively restrict use of capital punishment, ensure it was not applied on the basis of discriminatory laws, improve detention conditions and establish a moratorium on executions to ultimately abolish the death penalty.
The resolution was accepted after 126 countries voted in its favor while 37 opposed it. There were also 24 abstentions.
Pakistan votes against UN draft resolution calling for death penalty moratorium
https://arab.news/ngzs9
Pakistan votes against UN draft resolution calling for death penalty moratorium
- The EU pushed for the draft resolution, saying capital punishment failed to deter criminal behavior
- Pakistan said the ‘right to life must be protected for the victims of horrific and most serious crimes as well’
Pakistan to host PSL roadshow in New York amid ‘growing interest’ from US, Middle East
- Pakistan aims to add two new teams to existing six franchises for upcoming PSL edition
- PSL is Pakistan’s premier T20 cricket league featuring a mix of local and international stars
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will host a Pakistan Super League (PSL) roadshow in New York today, Saturday, amid “growing interest” from investors in the US, Middle East and Europe for its franchises, the board said in a statement.
The development takes place days after the PCB held a roadshow in London to attract international investors to the PSL, Pakistan’s premier T20 cricket league. The upcoming 11th edition of the league, set to take place next year in April and May, will feature two new teams to the existing roster of six.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Friday that the board has pushed the deadline to submit bids for the two new teams till Dec. 22 amid “growing interest” from investors in the Middle East, Europe and the US.
“Today, the grand spectacle of the Super PSL will take place in New York, USA, the world’s leading economic hub,” the PCB said in a statement.
Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister, has arrived in New York to attend the roadshow, the board said.
The statement said American and overseas Pakistani investors will attend the New York roadshow.
“I thank Allah that the PSL is today shining at the international level,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by the PCB.
The PSL’s roadshow in London earlier this week featured former cricketing greats such as Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja who attended the event with current stars Babar Azam, Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf.
Azam, Rauf and Farhan spoke at the event, highlighting their PSL journeys so far and how the tournament has propelled their careers to new heights.
Within a span of 10 years, PSL has competed for viewership with some of the most prominent cricket leagues around the world, including the Indian Premier League, the Big Bash League, the Hundred, and the Caribbean Premier League, among others.
