Pakistan
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · In December 1998, the Government set up military trial...
- News items in the archive
- 2,105
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Pakistan is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 2,105 news items on Pakistan, from 1999 to today.
In Pakistan the death penalty applies to a very wide list of offences, from murder to terrorism to blasphemy, and the method is hanging. The country observed a de facto moratorium for some years, broken after the attack on the school in Peshawar in 2014.
Pakistan's death row is among the most populated in the world. The archive follows executions, sentences, appeals and the cases of people with mental disabilities.
Latest news
FEBRUARY 14, 2019PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: ATC AWARDS DEATH SENTENCE TO TWO CRIMINALS FOR MURDER
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on 31 January 2019 awarded the death sentence to two criminals for their involvement in a murder.
FEBRUARY 7, 2019PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: SHC COMMUTES MURDERER’S DEATH SENTENCE TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT
The Sindh High Court (SHC) commuted on 28 January 2019 the death sentence of a criminal, convicted of committing a murder during a robbery bid.
FEBRUARY 5, 2019PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: SC HALTS EXECUTION OF PRISONER AFTER BEING INFORMED OF 'RECONCILIATION WITH HEIRS OF VICTIMS'
The Supreme Court on 4 February 2019 halted the death sentence of a convict, Muhammad Siddique, who was scheduled to be executed on 7 February at the Gujranwala Central Jail.
FEBRUARY 1, 2019PakistanDEATH PENALTYASIA BIBI REUNITES WITH FAMILY IN CANADA
Asia Bibi, the Christian woman who spent eight years on death row on blasphemy charges in Pakistan, has arrived in Canada with her husband, German media reported on 1 February 2019, quoting her lawyer.
- JANUARY 29, 2019PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: ASIA BIBI BLASPHEMY ACQUITTAL UPHELD BY SUPREME COURT
Pakistan's top court has rejected a challenge to the acquittal of a Christian woman on blasphemy charges.
JANUARY 28, 2019PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY LAHORE'S GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE COURT FOR RAPING MEDICAL STUDENT
A special Lahore court set up to deal with gender-based violence on 18 January 2019 sentenced to death a man for the rape of a female medical student.
- JANUARY 2, 2019PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN DEATH-SENTENCE COURTS ‘ARE FUNDED BY UK’
British taxpayers are funding prosecutions in Pakistan that have led to dozens of death sentences, according to newly disclosed details of a secretive UK aid programme, The Guardian reported on 22 December 2018.
- JANUARY 1, 2019PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: ‘PRESIDENT REJECTED 513 MERCY PETITIONS OF DEATH ROW PRISONERS IN LAST FIVE YEARS’
Pakistan is among the five most prolific executioners in the world with 487 executions in the last three years, while the president has rejected 513 mercy petitions in the last five years, a report launched on April 11 has found.
- JANUARY 1, 2019PakistanDEATH PENALTY
Pakistan sanctions the death penalty for 27 offences
Pakistan sanctions the death penalty for 27 offences
DECEMBER 28, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: ARMY CHIEF SIGNS DEATH WARRANTS OF 14 TERRORISTS
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on 21 December 2018 confirmed the death sentence awarded to 14 hardcore terrorists involved in heinous acts of terrorism.
DECEMBER 20, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: 310 TERRORISTS SENTENCED TO DEATH, 56 EXECUTED
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on 16 December 2018 released details of the death sentences awarded to convicted terrorists and their executions following trial by military courts.
DECEMBER 19, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR SHIKARPUR SHRINE ATTACK
The ATC Court, Sukkur, on 13 December 2018 awarded capital punishment to two suicide bombers for attacking the Shikarpur shrine, which claimed the lives of four people including the custodian of the shrine, Hajan Shah Mari Waro and injured 17 in 2013.
DECEMBER 18, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: COAS CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCES OF 15 HARDCORE TERRORISTS
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa confirmed the death sentences awarded to 15 hardcore terrorists, a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations said on 16 December 2018.
- DECEMBER 17, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: TWO CHRISTIAN BROTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BLASPHEMY IN PUNJAB
Two Christian brothers have been sentenced to death in Pakistan on blasphemy charges, the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) announced on 14 December 2018.
NOVEMBER 26, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: COAS RATIFIES DEATH SENTENCE OF 11 HARDCORE TERRORISTS
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on 23 November 2018 confirmed death sentences awarded to 11 hardcore terrorists, who were involved in attacking armed forces, other law enforcement agencies, killing an innocent civilian and destructing
- NOVEMBER 19, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: NORWEGIAN CITIZEN SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Norwegian national was sentenced to death by two judicial authorities in Pakistan for raping and killing a little girl, norwaytoday reported on 18 November 2018.
NOVEMBER 9, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: ATC AWARDS DEATH PENALTY FOR KIDNAPPING, MURDER
An antiterrorism court on 8 November 2018 handed down death sentence to a convict and life imprisonment to two others for killing a man over non-payment of ‘protection’ money of just Rs2,000.
- NOVEMBER 8, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
ASIA BIBI MOVED FROM JAIL TO ANOTHER PART OF PAKISTAN, SOURCES SAY
Asia Bibi, a Christian woman whose death sentence was overturned last week by Pakistan's Supreme Court, has been moved from her jail cell to an undisclosed location in another part of the country, intelligence sources in Pakistan told CNN on 8 November 20
NOVEMBER 6, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR DOUBLE MURDER
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) announced on 1 November 2018 a two-time death sentence to a man convicted in a double murder case.
- OCTOBER 31, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN ASIA BIBI HAS DEATH PENALTY CONVICTION OVERTURNED
Pakistan's Supreme Court on 31 October 2018 acquitted a Christian woman who has been on death row for almost eight years on blasphemy charges.
OCTOBER 29, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: ARMY CHIEF CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCE FOR 14 MILITANTS
Pakistan's army chief on 26 October 2018 approved death sentences for 14 "hardcore terrorists" convicted by military courts for attacks in recent years that killed 19 security forces and three civilians.
OCTOBER 22, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: PHC SETS ASIDE DEATH SENTENCES TO OVER 50 CONVICTS
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on 18 October 2018 set aside death sentence to more than 50 convicts awarded by the military courts on terrorism charges including suicide attacks and martyring security forces, police, lawmakers and civilians.
OCTOBER 19, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: PML-N MNA ABID RAZA ACQUITTED IN MURDER CASE
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on 11 October 2018 acquitted Chaudhry Abid Raza (PML-N MNA) and three others in a murder case.
OCTOBER 18, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: IMRAN ALI HANGED FOR SIX-YEAR-OLD'S DEATH
Pakistan on 17 October 2018 hanged a man convicted for the rape and murder of six-year-old Zainab Ansari in January.
- OCTOBER 4, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: FORMER SESSIONS JUDGE SIKANDAR LASHARI SENTENCED TO DEATH
An ATC in Karachi sentenced former Tharparkar district and session judge Sikandar Lashari to death on September 29, 2018.
- OCTOBER 3, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MURDERER AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE IN ISLAMABAD
The District and Sessions Judge (DSJ) East Islamabad Choudhary Mumtaz Hussain has awarded death sentence to an accused involved in a murder case of Police Station Koral, Pakistan Point News reported on September 27, 2018.
- OCTOBER 1, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: COAS CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCE TO 11 HARDCORE TERRORISTS
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has confirmed death sentences awarded to eleven hardcore terrorists, timesofislamabad.com reported on September 28, 2018.
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: SUPREME COURT SUSPENDS DEATH SENTENCE OF THREE MILITARY COURT CONVICTS
The Supreme Court (SC) stayed on September 19, 2018 the execution of three convicts involved in militancy, suspending the death sentence awarded by a military court.
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: TRIO AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE OVER ‘HONOUR KILLING’
A court in Jauharabad awarded death sentence to three accused on September 4, 2018 for their involvement in a double murder case.
SEPTEMBER 14, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BLASPHEMY
A sessions court fined and then sentenced a man to death in a blasphemy case on September 14, 2018.