Prisoners with mental disorders to no longer be given death penalty: SC

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has said that if a prisoner on death row is unable to comprehend the rationale behind their punishment due to a mental illness, then carrying out the death sentence does not “meet the ends of justice”. The apex court announced the verdict after reserving its judgement on a point whether mentally ill death-row prisoners can be executed.

The appeals had been filed on the behalf of Kanizan Bibi, Imdad Ali and Ghulam Abbas who have spent 30, 18 and 14 years on death row, respectively, while exhibiting acute symptoms of mental illness.

The court also directed the Punjab government to immediately shift the accused from prison to the Punjab Institute of Mental Health, Lahore, for treatment and rehabilitation.

Source: Dawn