Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari today said maintaining moratorium on death penalties is the European Union's condition for granting preferential market access to Pakistan and should not be linked to dealing with Taliban militants.

Speaking during a dinner hosted by Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah in his honour, he said Taliban were non-state elements.

However, there was no harm in negotiating with them, the Dawn quoted him as saying. European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, had said that the European Commission had no condition linking abolition of death penalty to grant of preferential market access to the country.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had scrapped a five-year moratorium on the death penalty in June in a bid to crackdown on criminals and militants in the violence-torn country.

Hangings were due to resume last week until a temporary stay was ordered following objections from the President and rights groups.

President Zardari, who is set to vacate the Presidency on September 8, said stopping the announced and planned executions was not aimed at any specific segment of the society.