A/HRC/37/13 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its twenty-eighth session from 6 to 17 November 2017. The review of Pakistan was held at the 11th meeting, on 13 November 2017. The delegation of Pakistan was headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Khawaja Muhammad Asif. At its 17th meeting, held on 16 November 2017, the Working Group adopted the report on Pakistan. 2. On 13 February 2017, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Pakistan: Egypt, Iraq and Latvia. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Pakistan: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/28/PAK/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/28/PAK/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/28/PAK/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belgium, Brazil, Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Liechtenstein, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America was transmitted to Pakistan through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan stated that its national report for the third universal periodic review had been prepared through an extensive and inclusive process involving all relevant stakeholders, including civil society organizations and academia. 6. In the last four years, democracy had flourished in Pakistan with an elected and sovereign parliament, an independent judiciary, free media and a vibrant civil society. 7. The real commitment of any Government for the cause of human rights needed to be contextualized in the given domestic environment. In the previous 15 years, terrorism and extremism had not only endangered the national security and social fabric of Pakistan, but also jeopardized the human rights of its citizens. 8. The reporting period of the universal periodic review (2012–2016) marked a critical turnaround in terms of progress in security and terrorism. In December 2014, following the barbaric terrorist attack on a public school in Peshawar, Pakistan had taken decisive counter-terrorism measures and cleared the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of terrorists, which had enabled it to undertake much needed administrative, judicial and security reforms there. 9. One consequence of the counter-terrorism challenges Pakistan had been facing was the decision to implement the death penalty. Mounting public pressure in the wake of the Peshawar school attack had forced the Government to lift the moratorium on the death penalty. Pakistan imposed the death penalty in line with its Constitution and international norms for only the most serious crimes, with due process of law and fair trial standards followed diligently. 2