RECORDERR REPORT

MULTAN: A division bench of Lahore High Court Multan comprising Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan and Justice Masud Abid halted execution of a ‘mentally-ill’ condemned prisoner Imdad Ali who was to be hanged on Tuesday (today) in District Jail Vehari and sought a report from the Home secretary Punjab and prisons department by August 8, 2016, a court official Riaz Hussain Shahid told AFP.

The District and Session judge Vehari Ghaffar Jalil had earlier issued death warrants for Imdad Ali for July 26, a court official said. Convict’s Wife Safia Bano filed a stay application in the court. Jail Superintendent Vehari Babar Shah told AFP, “we have received the Court orders and we have stopped the execution of Imdad Ali till further order, “The petitioner submitted that her husband Imdad Ali was mentally ill when he shot dead his teacher Hafiz Muhammad Abdullah of Jamia Rahimia Rizvia Burewala on January 21st, 2001.

Additional Session Judge, Burewala Irfan Saeed had awarded him death sentence on July 29, 2002. Superior courts upheld the judgment of subordinate court. His mercy petitions were also rejected. President of Pakistan turned down his mercy petition on November 17, 2015. The medical officer concerned also told the court that the prisoner was having symptoms of depression for which anti-psychotic medication was provided to him and he was a fit person.