President grants special remissions for Independence Day

ISLAMABAD: Exercising his prerogative under Article 45 of the Constitution, President Asif Ali Zardari granted special remission in sentences on the occasion of Independence Day on Aug 14.

The President gave the remissions on the advice of the Prime Minister, on Thursday.

Special remission will be admissible provided that the convicts have undergone 2/3rd of their substantive sentence of imprisonment. Total remission will be granted to male prisoners who are 65 years of age or above and have undergone at least 1/3rd of their substantive sentence of imprisonment, except those involved in culpable homicide and those involved in terrorist acts.

Total remission will be granted to female prisoners who are 60 years of age or above and have undergone at least 1/3rd of their sentence of imprisonment, except those involved in culpable homicide and those involved in terrorist acts.

Special remission of 90 days was extended to prisoners convicted for life, except those convicted for murder, espionage, anti-state activities, sectarianism, Zina, robbery, dacoity, kidnapping/abduction and terrorist acts (as defined in the Anti-Terrorism (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 1999.

Special remission for 45 days will be given to all other convicts, except condemned prisoners and those convicted of murder, espionage, subversion, anti-state activities, terrorist act, Zina, Kidnapping/abduction, robbery, dacoity and those undergoing sentences under the Foreigners Act 1946.

Special remission of one year will be granted to female prisoners who have accompanying children and are serving sentence for crimes other than culpable homicide and those involved in terrorist acts.

Total remission will be granted to juvenile convicts (under 18 years of age) who have served their substantive sentence except those involved inculpable homicide, terrorist act, Zina, robbery, dacoity, kidnapping/abduction and anti-state activities.