Death penalty resumption in Pakistan none of our business: US

US State Department spokesperson Marie Harf on Wednesday said the lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty in Pakistan is the country’s internal issue.

“Well, clearly this is an issue for Pakistan – a decision for Pakistan, excuse me. It’s not really ours to weigh in on,” Harf said during her daily press briefing.

Six prisoners have been hanged since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced last week that a six-year moratorium on the death penalty was being lifted in terror cases following the Peshawar school massacre.

On December 16, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan stormed Army Public School in Peshawar killing 150 people, including 134 children.

The spokesperson added US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to PM Nawaz after the attack and extended assistance.

Responding to a question of human rights bodies condemnations of resumption in executions, Harf said, “We just don’t have a position on that to outline for you.”

Earlier today, EU mission condemned the resumption. EU officials indicated last year that if Pakistan resumed executions, it could jeopardise a highly prized trade deal with the bloc.

Further, she said terrorism is a shared threat and Pakistan and the US have worked closely together to counter it.

“More Pakistanis are victims of counter terrorism, I think, than anywhere in the world.  So clearly it’s a shared threat, but when we have concerns like this we’ll raise them,” she said.

Referring to an order which granted bail to the alleged mastermind of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, Zakiur Rehman Alvi, the spokesperson said, “Well, look, we’re concerned by the reports that this individual terrorist got bail.”

“The government of Pakistan has pledged its cooperation in bringing the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice, and we urge them to uphold that promise,” she added.

Further, dismissing a question regarding reports stating US will not target Mullah Omar next year, Harf said, “I don’t think that’s something for the State Department to speak to.”