Pakistan
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- federal parliamentary republic
- CONSTITUTION
- April 12, 1973. Suspended and reintroduced several times, last on December 15, 2007. Amended last on April 19, 2010.
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- common law adapted to the Islamic state
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, Senate and National Assembly
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court, heads appointed by the president; Federal Islamic Court
RELIGIONS
Muslim majority; Hindu and Christian minorities
From the country
JULY 30, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: DEATH ROW CONVICTS FREED DUE TO ‘LIFE EXPECTANCY RIGHT’
The Supreme Court has overturned death sentence of two brothers – Sikandar Hayat and Jamshed Ali – who have spent 27 years of their lives in jail on account of “the right of expectancy of life”.
JULY 29, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MUSLIM ACCUSED OF INSULTING ISLAM KILLED IN COURT
A young Pakistani Muslim walked into a courtroom in the northwestern city of Peshawar on 29 July 2020 and shot and killed a fellow Muslim who was on trial for blasphemy, a police officer said.
JULY 1, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: CONVICT SET FREE AFTER SPENDING 21 YEARS ON DEATH ROW
Muhammad Iqbal, who spent the last 21 years on death row for a crime he was convicted of committing when he was a juvenile, has been released, according to the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP).
- JUNE 11, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: LHC ACQUITS TWO DEATH SENTENCE CONVICTS
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on 9 June 2020 set aside the decision of a Lower Court and acquitted two death sentence convicts for lack of evidence in a double murder case.
JUNE 9, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: DEATH SENTENCE IN JUVENILE CASE COMMUTED
A Pakistani court on 8 June 2020 commuted the death sentence for a defendant who has spent the last 18 years on death row for a crime he was convicted of committing when he was a juvenile, a local advocacy group said.
- JUNE 4, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: APPEAL FOR CHRISTIAN COUPLE ACCUSED OF BLASPHEMY DELAYED
A Christian couple sentenced to death on blasphemy charges in 2014 have had their High Court appeal delayed. The hearing has been postponed for 22 June 2020.
JUNE 4, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: AZAD KASHMIR CABINET PASSES BILL PROPOSING DEATH PENALTY FOR CHILD ABUSERS
The cabinet of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) on 4 June 2020 approved a bill proposing a death penalty for those found guilty of sexually abusing children.
MAY 28, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: YOUNAS MASIH, ASIA BIBI’S BROTHER-IN-LAW, KILLED IN SHEIKHUPURA
Younas Masih, 50, father of two children and Asia Bibi’s brother-in-law, was found dead on 25 May 2020 in fields near Sheikhupura, Punjab.
MAY 19, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SEHWAN BLAST
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi sentenced to death on 18 May 2020 two convicts for their involvement in the 2017 Sehwan Sharif bomb blast.
- MAY 6, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: IHC RELEASES EIGHT DEATH ROW CONVICTS
Eight men condemned to death by trial courts walked out free men after Islamabad High Court (IHC) decided their appeals during the lockdown period, IHC registrar office stated on 5 May 2020.
APRIL 20, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: SINDH HIGH COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE OF FORMER MITHI JUDGE
The Sindh High Court on 20 April 2020 turned down a petition filed by two men, including a former sessions court judge, who wanted their death sentences suspended in a murder case.
- APRIL 16, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: POOR CHRISTIAN COUPLE LANGUISHES ON DEATH ROW FOR BLASPHEMY
An illiterate Catholic couple, Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagfuta Kausar, were charged with blasphemy in 2013 and sentenced to be hanged in 2014. Ever since, they have been in prison, denounced MercatorNet.com on 16 April 2020.