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 PM to visit Qatar today to explore trade, investment, energy cooperation
- Shehbaz Sharif to lead high-level delegation comprising deputy premier, senior ministers and officials on two-day visit
- Sharif to meet Qatari amir, discuss economic collaboration, regional and global developments, says Pakistan’s foreign office
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Qatar today, Monday, for a two-day visit to the country during which both sides will explore new avenues of cooperation in trade, investment, energy and manpower export, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Sharif will visit Qatar from Feb. 23-24 at the invitation of Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the foreign office said. The Pakistani premier will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar as well as other ministers and senior officials.
Sharif is expected to meet the Qatari amir during his visit and review bilateral ties, political engagement, economic collaboration, energy partnership and people-to-people exchanges, it added.
“The two sides will also explore new avenues of cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, energy, infrastructure development and manpower export,” the statement said.
The foreign office said Sharif’s visit will provide both leaderships an opportunity to exchange views on regional and global developments, reaffirming their resolve to work closely for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
Pakistan enjoys robust trade and investment relations with Qatar. In 2022, the Qatari amir’s office said that the Qatar Investment Authority aims to invest $3 billion in Pakistan to support the South Asian nation’s cash-strapped economy. This investment would focus on Pakistan’s transport, civil aviation, education, health, culture, media, communications, information technology and labor sectors, the amir’s office said.
Qatar is also host to almost 300,000 Pakistanis, which is a large part of the country’s total population, according to Pakistan’s foreign office. Qatar employs a large number of Pakistanis in the health, education, engineering, finance and public service sectors.
A large number of semi-skilled and unskilled Pakistani work force also dominate the construction and transport sectors of Qatar. Pakistan’s efforts to expand employment opportunities for its skilled labor in Qatar have led to both sides signing several memoranda of understanding and letters of intent over the years.
The two nations also promote bilateral cooperation through several forums such as the Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC), Joint Ministerial Commission, Joint Business Council and Working Group on Trade & Investment.
Qatar was also instrumental in easing tensions by hosting talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in October last year, after both sides were involved in fierce border clashes that killed several and wounded dozens.
