Prime minister Nawaz Sharif assured the UK a six-year moratorium on carrying out executions would remain.

British aid money is assisting the execution of prisoners accused of drug smuggling in Pakistan, it was claimed yesterday.

Nearly £13million of taxpayers’ money has been used to fund anti-narcotics operations, according to human rights campaigners, who fear the aggressive crackdown has seen those found guilty being hanged.

Capital punishment is legal in Pakistan, but last year prime minister Nawaz Sharif assured the UK a six-year moratorium on carrying out executions would remain.

But after the Taliban murdered 132 children at a school last December he reinstated the death penalty for terrorism. However, some of those to be executed are only guilty of drug offences, says Reprieve.

Some of the prisoners issued with ‘black warrants’ – a sign their execution is imminent – have been convicted of other offences, says Reprieve.

The legal charity, which assists some death row prisoners in Pakistan, has condemned the Foreign Office for continuing to deliver aid money even though the death penalty has not been completely abolished.

It is now seeking the release of a human rights ‘checklist’ completed by diplomats before aid can be handed over.

Reprieve used the Freedom of Information Act to request a copy of the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Guidance (OSJA).

This obliges civil servants to record any human rights risks that arise from aid to foreign police services.

If there is a ‘serious risk’ that cannot be mitigated, ministers must give approval for any projects.

The FOI request was refused by the Foreign Office claiming it could undermine relations with Pakistan and hamper the work of Britain’s spy agencies. Now the charity has appealed.

Reprieve says there is ‘strong and overwhelmingly compelling public interest’ in revealing whether the UK has followed the guidance.

Maya Foa, a director at the charity, said: ‘The British public deserves to know how much of its money is funding hangings in Pakistan, particularly as the country continues its aggressive execution spree.’

Mr Sharif reinstated the death penalty for terrorism after the Taliban murdered 132 children at a school (pictured) last December

But Foreign Office lawyers said publishing details would expose a ‘lack of confidence’ by the UK in Pakistan, which would have an ‘adverse effect’ on bilateral relations.

Some 8,000 people are on death row in Pakistan, including 23 Britons. It said several Britons, including one mother and a man with learning difficulties, are among 112 people facing execution for alleged drug crimes.

Around £12.8million was given last year by UK taxpayers through the UN Office for Drugs and Crime to 22 counter-narcotic programmes in an effort to fight the illegal trade.

Reprieve said the money could be linked to ‘control’ operations carried out by Pakistan’s hardline anti-narcotics forces.

Cash provided the feared security forces with border posts, night-vision goggles, body scanners, computer software, sniffer dogs and specialised surveillance vehicles.

The ant-narcotics force has stated publicly that its priority is to ‘bring culprits to task through effective prosecution.’

Despite a moratorium on carrying out executions, the authorities in Pakistan still impose the death penalty for drugs offences.

Reprieve urged the Government to freeze all law enforcement-led funding for counter-narcotics work in Pakistan until it ends the death penalty for drug offences.

An FCO spokesman said: ‘It remains our long-standing policy to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle.

‘The UK and Pakistan have a shared interest in working together to tackle organised crime including the trafficking of drugs, which is a threat to both our societies.