Execution of mentally ill prisoner halted

MULTAN: The Multan High Court Division Bench halted the execution of a condemned prisoner, which was due on Tuesday, for being mentally ill at the last moment.

The LHC Multan Division Bench headed by Justice Qasim Khan and Justice Masud Abid passed the order on a petition filed by the convict’s wife Safia Bano. The petitioner told the court that her husband Imdad Ali was mentally ill when he gunned down his teacher Hafiz Muhammad Abdullah of Jamia Rahimia Rizvia, Burewala, on January 2, 2001. She appealed for halting execution of her husband, considering his mental condition. The medical officer told the court that the prisoner was having symptoms of depression for which anti-psychotic medication was being provided to him. He, however, said that the prisoner was fully fit. After hearing the arguments, the LHC Division Bench faxed an order of halting the execution to the Vehari District Jail authorities.

Earlier, the Burewala additional district and sessions judge awarded death sentence to Imdad Ali for killing Hafiz Abdullah in 2001. His black warrants were issued on February 2, 2016 and July 26 was fixed for his execution.

The superior courts had upheld judgment of the lower court while his mercy petition was rejected by the president on November 17, 2015.