Police officers walk past the Supreme Court of Pakistan building in Islamabad, Pakistan April 6, 2022. REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
For the first time in nearly six years, the Supreme Court has begun determining cases on criminal appeals involving convicts who have either already completed their sentences or died during a pending case.
According to details obtained by The Express Pakinomist, at least five such cases have emerged from three Punjab jails, including Central Jail Lahore, Central Jail Multan and Central Jail Sahiwal, where the appellants are either released after completing their sentences or are no longer alive.
In these cases, 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 listed at serial number 18, entitled Abdul Hakeem Shahid versus the State.
In this case, the Superintendent Central Jail Sahiwal submitted a report to the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division stating that Abdul Hakeem Shahid, son of Abdul Ghafoor and resident of Ferozewala, Sheikhupura, was transferred from Central Jail Lahore to Sahiwal Jail on 28 August 2025 on administrative grounds by the order of the Inspector General of Jails.
The report further says that on June 15, 2016, the high court had sentenced him to death along with a fine of Rs 500,000. in a murder case. On 3 February 2019, the Lahore High Court converted the death sentence to life imprisonment under Section 382-B, extending the benefit of doubt.
The convict had already been released on 19 December 2025 after completing his sentence, having obtained a remission of 13 years, 3 months and 13 days.
Interestingly, according to the Supreme Court’s online record, the appeal was filed on February 25, 2020, more than six years ago, and is being fixed for hearing for the first time.
The other case listed at serial number 20 is Mohsin Ali v. The State, filed on March 20, 2021. This is also scheduled for its first hearing today.
A report submitted by Acting Superintendent Central Jail Sahiwal says that Mohsin Ali, son of Kamir of Kharal caste and a resident of Okara, was brought to the jail on May 25, 2006.
He was sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined Rs 50,000. in a murder case and was released on 29 August 2022 after receiving a reprieve of 8 years, 9 months and 11 days.
The third case, Shakeel Ahmed v. The State, listed at serial number 21, was filed on 11 May 2022 and is also being heard for the first time.
According to Superintendent Central Jail Multan, 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 received a remission of 11 years, 7 months and 26 days.
He was arrested on 16 November 2012 and has already been released on 20 March 2026 after serving 13 years and 4 months.
The fourth case is Allah Ditta v The State, whose appeal was filed on 18 June 2022 and is also being heard for the first time.
