Presidency gives clarification about mercy petitions issue

Pakistan

Presidency gives clarification about mercy petitions issue

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Spokesperson to the President Thursday clarified about reports regarding mercy petitions.

25 October,2012 09:28 pm

Senator Farhatullah Babar categorically denied that any mercy petition in terms of Article 45 of the Constitution is pending in the President’s Secretariat.Commenting on the reports in a section of the media about the pendency of mercy petitions of condemned prisoners in the Presidency which are not informed the spokesperson denied that any mercy petition in terms of Article 45 of the Constitution is pending.He said that postponement of execution of death penalty has been ordered from time to time in view of statement made by the Prime Minister on the floor of the House that the federal government is considering to commute death sentence into life imprisonment and to take appropriate legislative measures in this regard.The Prime Minister has also constituted a committee comprising Minister for Interior, Minister for Law, Attorney General and representatives of Provincial Governments to make recommendations in this regard.The spokesperson to the President said that the executions were therefore postponed awaiting directions from the Federal Government.He said under the Rules of Business 1973 summaries qua mercy petitions under Article 45 of the Constitution are initiated by the Ministry of Interior, on receipt of report from the concerned Provincial Government. The President acts on the advice of the Prime Minister in exercise of functions under Article 45, he said.