Pakistan resumes capital punishment after one month break: Officials

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today hanged two murder convicts as the government resumed controversial executions following a month-long break during the holy month of Ramzan that ended last week.

The two were executed at the Central Jail of Multan city in the largest province of Punjab.

Officials said that both prisoners were convicted for murders and had exhausted all appeals against the capital punishment.

Pakistan resumed hangings after the deadly Peshawar school attack in December and had executed at least 176 prisoners since then.

The government on June 13 decided the halt executions for a month ahead of Ramzan.

The executions are opposed by the European Union (EU) and the right groups.

Supporters of the execution argue that it is the only option to deal with the scourge of militancy but human rights group are highly critical of it.

Rights groups say many convictions are highly unreliable in Pakistan where criminal justice system barely functions and torture has often been used to extract confessions.

There are some 8,000 convicted prisoners in various jails of the country.