President grants special remission to prisoners

President Asif Ali Zardari granted special remission of 20 percent of total sentence awarded by the courts to all convicted prisoners who have undergone at least 66 percent of substantive sentence of imprisonment, except those convicted for murder, espionage and anti-state activities. The other crimes not covered in remission include sectarianism, Zina (sec 10 offence of Zina, enforcement of Hudood Ordinance, 1979 (under Sec 377 PPC), robbery (Sec 395-396 PPC), kidnapping and abduction (Sec 364-A & 365-A) and terrorist acts.Similarly, remission has been granted to male prisoners who are 65 years of age or above and have undergone at least 33 percent of their substantive sentence of imprisonment, except those involved in culpable homicide and those involved in terrorist acts.Moreover, remissions granted to female prisoners who are 80 years of age or above and have undergone at least 33 percent of their substantive sentence of imprisonment except those involved in culpable homicide and those involved in terrorist acts.