Ghulam Abbas was convicted for the murder of Wajid Ali and sentenced to death in 2006 by the District & Sessions Court in Rawalpindi. The sentence was later upheld by the Lahore High Court in 2010. Abbas's criminal appeal and review petition were dismissed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2016 and 2018, respectively. His mercy petition was also rejected in 2019.
Concerns about his mental health emerged during his time in prison. He had a documented history of mental illness, including psychosis and cognitive impairments, which had been ongoing since before his imprisonment. In 2019, following the issuance of a black warrant for his execution, a constitutional petition was filed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan, arguing that his mental illness had not been adequately considered. The Supreme Court stayed his execution and ordered that he be transferred from jail to the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) for treatment.
While at PIMH, Ghulam Abbas faced harsh conditions, including continuous shackling, which violated prison rules. On May 12, 2024, after experiencing chest pain, he collapsed and died despite efforts to revive him. His family and legal counsel have faced delays in receiving his inquiry and post-mortem reports, raising concerns about the treatment he received during his confinement and the transparency of the investigation into his death.