ISLAMABAD: The United Nations (UN) has urged Pakistan to immediately reinstate the moratorium on death penalty, expressing deep concern at the increasing number and pace of executions in the country since December 2004.

“The right to life is a fundamental human right. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stated that the death penalty has no place in the 21st century,” said a statement issued by the UN office on Thursday.

“It has also been reported that among those executed there are persons who were minors when the offence was committed. According to some estimates, there are more than 8,000 prisoners on death row,” the statement added.

The UN in Pakistan is concerned about cases where the death penalty was handed to minors but welcomes reviews of these cases, i.e. the recent case of Shafqat Hussain.

The statement said the UN has consistently called for an unequivocal end to the execution of anyone, anywhere, who is convicted of committing a crime when they are under the age of 18.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has expressed deep regret at the resumpti