Police officers walk past Pakistan’s Supreme Court building, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 6, 2022. REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
For the first time in almost six years, the Supreme Court has begun scheduling hearings for criminal appeals involving convicts who have already served their sentences or have died while proceedings are pending.
According to details obtained by The Express PAkGazette, at least five such cases have arisen in three prisons in Punjab, including Lahore Central Jail, Multan Central Jail and Sahiwal Central Jail, where the appellants are released after completing their sentences or are no longer alive.
Due to these matters, four convicts have already been released after serving their sentences, while one has died.
On Monday, a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb is scheduled to hear 25 cases.
Among them is a notable criminal appeal contained in serial number 18, titled Abdul Hakeem Shahid versus the State.
In this case, Superintendent of Central Jail Sahiwal submitted a report to the criminal bench of the Supreme Court stating that Abdul Hakeem Shahid, son of Abdul Ghafoor and resident of Ferozewala, Sheikhupura, was transferred from Lahore Central Jail to Sahiwal Jail on August 28, 2025 for administrative reasons under the orders of the Inspector General of Prisons.
The report further states that the trial court on June 15, 2016 sentenced him to death along with a fine of Rs 500,000 in a murder case. On February 3, 2019, the Lahore High Court converted the death penalty into life imprisonment under Article 382-B, extending the benefit of doubt.
The convicted person had already been released on December 19, 2025 after serving his sentence, having obtained remission of 13 years, 3 months and 13 days.
Interestingly, according to the Supreme Court’s online docket, the appeal was filed on February 25, 2020, more than six years ago, and is being scheduled for hearing for the first time.
The second case, listed under serial number 20, is Mohsin Ali v. State, filed on March 20, 2021. Its first hearing is also scheduled for today.
A report submitted by acting superintendent of Central Jail Sahiwal states that Mohsin Ali, son of Kamir of the Kharal caste and a resident of Okara, was jailed on May 25, 2006.
He was sentenced to 25 years in prison and a fine of Rs 50,000 in a murder case and was released on August 29, 2022 after receiving a remission of 8 years, 9 months and 11 days.
The third case, Shakeel Ahmed v. State, listed under serial number 21, was filed on May 11, 2022 and is also being taken up for the first time.
According to Multan Central Jail Superintendent, the murder FIR against the convict was registered in Multan on November 7, 2012. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison with a fine of Rs 200,000 and was given a remission of 11 years, 7 months and 26 days.
He was arrested on November 16, 2012 and was released on March 20, 2026 after serving 13 years and 4 months.
The fourth case is Allah Ditta versus The State, the appeal of which was filed on June 18, 2022 and is also heard for the first time.
