Imdad Ali, a former electrician from Vehari, was 38 years old at the time of the offense. In 2001, he was charged with the murder of Hafiz M. Abdullah, whom he shot with a rifle. Despite pleading not guilty, he was convicted under Section 302(b) PPC and sentenced to death. Concerns regarding his mental health were raised during the trial. His defense counsel filed an application under Section 465 Cr.P.C. to determine his fitness to stand trial, but the trial court dismissed it without a thorough medical evaluation.
Signs of Imdad Ali’s paranoid schizophrenia were evident years before the incident, with symptoms like delusions and erratic behavior observed by his wife, Safia Bano. He was officially diagnosed in 2012, though medical records from 2009 documented psychiatric issues. A 2013 medical report deemed him “insane” and classified his condition as a “treatment-resistant case”.
Despite this, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled in 2016 that schizophrenia was not a mental disorder warranting exemption from execution. This controversial decision led to public outrage and advocacy efforts. Following the Safia Bano judgment in 2021, which prohibited the execution of prisoners unable to comprehend their punishment, Imdad’s execution was stayed. The Court ordered his transfer to the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) for treatment and rehabilitation.
Imdad Ali's case remains a significant precedent in protecting the rights of mentally ill prisoners in Pakistan’s criminal justice system.