PR No. 10

Release of Abdul Basit from Death Row following Presidential Clemency

Islamabad: October 1, 2025

The clemency was granted after the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, recommended the case on humanitarian and constitutional grounds. The Prime Minister’s leadership and personal commitment to upholding justice and compassion were central in ensuring this outcome. The Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, also remained actively engaged, while the Ministry of Human Rights worked closely with the Punjab Prison Department to finalize the matter.

Abdul Basit, a paraplegic death row prisoner, was released today from Faisalabad Central Prison following the grant of Presidential clemency under Article 45 of the Constitution. His disability and long confinement under death row conditions had drawn attention, with repeated calls for his case to be considered on compassionate grounds.

On the direction of the Prime Minister and the Minister for Human Rights, Parliamentary Secretary Ms. Saba Sadiq visited Faisalabad Central Prison at the time of Abdul Basit’s release. Speaking on the occasion, she said that she had been specially sent to meet Abdul Basit on their behalf. She also expressed sympathy with the family of the victim, stating that while nothing can lessen their pain, the decision reflects the spirit of justice and humanity that the state is bound to uphold.

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