A seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by the CJP resumed hearing of the case to determine the span of life imprisonment. “How life imprisonment can be fixed for 25 years in prison when the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) is silent on the matter?” the CJP questioned. The jail manual also provides for at least a 14-year substantive period for those sentenced to life imprisonment. Section 57 of the Criminal Procedure Code stipulates that life imprisonment will be 25 years. During the hearing, Justice Khosa had remarked that the current interpretation of life imprisonment law was flawed.

Source: The Express Tribune October 02, 2019 10:52 UTC