SC hears stale criminal appeals after years

One man died, 4 completed sentences before hearing

ISLAMABAD:

For the first time in nearly six years, the Supreme Court has begun fixing for hearing criminal appeals involving convicts who have either already completed their sentences or passed away during the pendency of proceedings.

According to details obtained by The Express Tribune, at least five such cases have surfaced from three Punjab prisons, including Central Jail Lahore, Central Jail Multan and Central Jail Sahiwal, where appellants either stand released after completing their sentences or are no longer alive.

In these matters, four convicts have already been released after serving their terms, 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, titled Abdul Hakeem Shahid versus The State.

In this case, the Superintendent Central Jail Sahiwal submitted a report to the Supreme Court's criminal branch stating that Abdul Hakeem Shahid, son of Abdul Ghafoor and resident of Ferozewala, Sheikhupura, was transferred from Central Jail Lahore to Sahiwal Jail on August 28, 2025 on administrative grounds under orders of the Inspector General of Prisons.

The report further states that the trial court had sentenced him on June 15, 2016 to death along with a fine of Rs500,000 in a murder case. On February 3, 2019, the Lahore High Court converted the death sentence into life imprisonment under Section 382-B, extending benefit of doubt.

The convict had already been released on December 19, 2025 after completing his sentence, having earned 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 second case, listed at serial number 20, is Mohsin Ali versus The State, filed on March 20, 2021. This is also scheduled for its first hearing today.

A report submitted by the acting Superintendent Central Jail Sahiwal states that Mohsin Ali, son of Kamir from the Kharal caste and resident of Okara, was brought to jail on May 25, 2006.

He was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment and fined Rs50,000 in a murder case and was released on August 29, 2022 after receiving remission of 8 years, 9 months and 11 days.

The third case, Shakeel Ahmed versus The State, listed at serial number 21, was filed on May 11, 2022 and is also being taken up for the first time.

According to the Superintendent Central Jail Multan, the murder FIR against the convict was registered in Multan on November 7, 2012. He was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with a fine of Rs200,000 and was granted remission of 11 years, 7 months and 26 days.

He was arrested on November 16, 2012 and has already been released on March 20, 2026 after serving 13 years and 4 months.

The fourth case is Allah Ditta versus The State, whose appeal was filed on June 18, 2022 and is also being heard for the first time.