Islamabad, March 21, 2025: President Asif Ali Zardari has announced a 180-day special remission in sentences for select prisoners on the occasion of Pakistan Day and Eid ul Fitr. The relief, granted under Article 45 of the Constitution, applies to specific categories of inmates while excluding those convicted of serious offenses.
The remission will not apply to individuals convicted of murder, espionage, anti-state activities, rape, theft, robbery, kidnapping, terrorism, financial crimes, or offenses causing losses to the national treasury. Additionally, those charged under the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Act, 2022, are also ineligible.
However, the remission benefits Male prisoners aged 65 and above who have served at least one-third of their sentence while Female prisoners aged 60 and above meeting the same criteria. Women prisoners detained with children and juvenile offenders under 18 who have completed one-third of their sentence.
Meanwhile, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will convene on March 30, 2025 (Ramazan 29, 1446 AH) to sight the Shawwal moon, which will determine the exact date for Eid ul Fitr. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, will include religious scholars, meteorological experts, and other stakeholders examining moon sighting reports from across the country.
