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| What is behind Pakistan's dramatic rise in executions? | What is behind Pakistan's dramatic rise in executions? |
| (2 months later) | |
| Last December Pakistan lifted a seven-year moratorium on executions in response to a deadly Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar. Since then about 200 people have been put to death - many of whom were not convicted of terror offences. | |
| The BBC looks into some of their cases and examines the reasons behind Pakistan's dramatic shift in death penalty policy. | |
| Who is on death row? | Who is on death row? |
| Pakistan is believed to have the largest number of death row inmates in the world. About 8,000 prisoners are awaiting execution - many of whom have been in jail for over a decade. | |
| The vast majority are men, however there are some women - most notably the Christian Asia Bibi who was convicted of blasphemy in 2010. | The vast majority are men, however there are some women - most notably the Christian Asia Bibi who was convicted of blasphemy in 2010. |
| The mother-of-five was accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammed and sentenced to death, despite her insistence that the evidence against her had been fabricated. | The mother-of-five was accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammed and sentenced to death, despite her insistence that the evidence against her had been fabricated. |
| Some 27 crimes carry the death sentence in Pakistan, including terrorism, rape and adultery. Figures from the Justice Project Pakistan show most people facing execution have been convicted of a "lethal offence". | |
| However, in Pakistan's most populous province Punjab, for example, 226 prisoners were placed on death row for "non-lethal offences". | |
| Source: Justice Project Pakistan. * 2012 figures - Sindh figures from 2014 | Source: Justice Project Pakistan. * 2012 figures - Sindh figures from 2014 |
| There are also concerns that up to 1,000 people convicted as juveniles are facing execution - something that is illegal under international law. But proving your age in Pakistan can be difficult, particularly in poor communities where many births are not registered. | There are also concerns that up to 1,000 people convicted as juveniles are facing execution - something that is illegal under international law. But proving your age in Pakistan can be difficult, particularly in poor communities where many births are not registered. |
| Aftab Bahadur was put to death in June, even though human rights campaigners said there was evidence which proved he was a minor when he was convicted of murder in 1992. They also said he had been tortured into giving a confession. | |
| And on 4 August Shafqat Hussain was executed, despite appeals from campaigners who said he was a minor when convicted. His execution was postponed four times before he was hanged. | |
| He was found guilty of killing and kidnapping a seven-year-old boy in 2004 - but his lawyers also maintain he was underage when the boy was killed. | |
| Why was the moratorium lifted? | Why was the moratorium lifted? |
| The massacre of 132 children in Peshawar last December was the catalyst for the reintroduction of the death penalty. | The massacre of 132 children in Peshawar last December was the catalyst for the reintroduction of the death penalty. |
| Amid public anger, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced the moratorium would be lifted for terror convicts - before eventually resuming executions for all death penalty offences. No specific reason was given for the second decision. | |
| The move was condemned by the United Nations and human rights campaigners who warned it would do little to impede the Taliban. | The move was condemned by the United Nations and human rights campaigners who warned it would do little to impede the Taliban. |
| "The government is touting executions as the way of tackling the country's law and order problems," said Maya Pastakia, a Pakistan campaigner for Amnesty International. | "The government is touting executions as the way of tackling the country's law and order problems," said Maya Pastakia, a Pakistan campaigner for Amnesty International. |
| "But there is no compelling evidence that the death penalty will act as particular deterrent over and above any other form of punishment. A suicide bomber won't be deterred by the death penalty." | "But there is no compelling evidence that the death penalty will act as particular deterrent over and above any other form of punishment. A suicide bomber won't be deterred by the death penalty." |
| She believes lifting the moratorium was "a lazy response" to dealing with the huge numbers of people on death row. | She believes lifting the moratorium was "a lazy response" to dealing with the huge numbers of people on death row. |
| "We have seen a conveyor belt of executions. People who were implicated in terrorism crime, as well as people convicted for straight-forward murder, manslaughter and kidnapping. | "We have seen a conveyor belt of executions. People who were implicated in terrorism crime, as well as people convicted for straight-forward murder, manslaughter and kidnapping. |
| "The government seems entirely intransigent on this issue." | "The government seems entirely intransigent on this issue." |
| Who has been executed and why? | Who has been executed and why? |
| The first series of hangings took place at Faisalabad jail in December - and are now almost an everyday occurrence across the country. | The first series of hangings took place at Faisalabad jail in December - and are now almost an everyday occurrence across the country. |
| Many prisoners have been put to death for terror offences, including three Baloch insurgents who hijacked a passenger plane in 1998. | Many prisoners have been put to death for terror offences, including three Baloch insurgents who hijacked a passenger plane in 1998. |
| Others were found guilty of political killings, like Saulat Mirza - a former worker for the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) who was convicted of murdering the head of Karachi's power utility service. | Others were found guilty of political killings, like Saulat Mirza - a former worker for the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) who was convicted of murdering the head of Karachi's power utility service. |
| But some cases have attracted attention over concerns about the legitimacy of their trials. | But some cases have attracted attention over concerns about the legitimacy of their trials. |
| Shafqat Hussain "was at worst a common criminal", according to his lawyer Sarah Belal, yet his case was processed by an anti-terrorism court. | Shafqat Hussain "was at worst a common criminal", according to his lawyer Sarah Belal, yet his case was processed by an anti-terrorism court. |
| "It goes to the heart of all the problems with the judicial system," she told the BBC. "He belongs to a poor community. He was not a terrorist." | "It goes to the heart of all the problems with the judicial system," she told the BBC. "He belongs to a poor community. He was not a terrorist." |
| Ms Belal says Shafqat Hussain was tortured for nine days before giving a confession, which he later withdrew. All other evidence against him was "purely circumstantial". | Ms Belal says Shafqat Hussain was tortured for nine days before giving a confession, which he later withdrew. All other evidence against him was "purely circumstantial". |
| She says there has never been a credible investigation into his age or the validity of his torture claims. | She says there has never been a credible investigation into his age or the validity of his torture claims. |
| BBC correspondents say the authorities did allow for last-minute investigations into his age but in the end said there was no evidence that he had been a minor at the time of his conviction and his appeals for mercy were turned down. | |
| Cases like this are not uncommon, according to Maya Pastakia. | Cases like this are not uncommon, according to Maya Pastakia. |
| "Trials are often characterised by lack of access to fair legal counsel," said Ms Pastakia. "Often the accused in the initial stages will be given a state appointed lawyer who is often poorly trained and lacks competence. | "Trials are often characterised by lack of access to fair legal counsel," said Ms Pastakia. "Often the accused in the initial stages will be given a state appointed lawyer who is often poorly trained and lacks competence. |
| "All judicial systems make mistakes and as long as the death penalty persists, innocent people will be executed. There is no going back." | "All judicial systems make mistakes and as long as the death penalty persists, innocent people will be executed. There is no going back." |
| How does Pakistan compare with the rest of the world? | How does Pakistan compare with the rest of the world? |
| The issue of capital punishment sparks heated debates around the world. Although 99 nations have abolished the death penalty, 22 countries carried out executions in 2014. | The issue of capital punishment sparks heated debates around the world. Although 99 nations have abolished the death penalty, 22 countries carried out executions in 2014. |
| China and North Korea are believed to be among the world's top executioners, however specific figures are difficult to obtain, because they are concealed by the authorities. | China and North Korea are believed to be among the world's top executioners, however specific figures are difficult to obtain, because they are concealed by the authorities. |
| Amnesty International does collate figures from other countries, which show Iran and Saudi Arabia are responsible for the largest share of executions. | Amnesty International does collate figures from other countries, which show Iran and Saudi Arabia are responsible for the largest share of executions. |
| Iran confirmed 289 deaths last year, but 454 others were not officially acknowledged, Amnesty says. In Saudi Arabia at least 90 executions were carried out. | Iran confirmed 289 deaths last year, but 454 others were not officially acknowledged, Amnesty says. In Saudi Arabia at least 90 executions were carried out. |
| Pakistan is quickly catching up. Amnesty said in August that 200 prisoners had been executed so far in 2015 - that compares to 90 in Saudi Arabia by-mid June. | |
| By the end of April the Iranian authorities had announced 130 executions, but 222 others were reported by other sources. | |
| Interviews and research by Claire Brennan |