The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday has announced to commute the death sentence awarded to two mentally challenged prisoners, Kanizan Bibi and Imdad Ali.

According to the details, a five-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan MianKhel, and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah announced the reserved verdict on review petitions filed by the Punjab government and some mentally sick death row prisoners against the execution of convicts suffering from mental illnesses, including schizophrenia.

The SC commuted the death sentence of two condemned inmates Imdad Ali and Kaneezan Bibi and ordered jail authorities to shift them to mental health facilities. Kaneezan Bibi was awarded the death penalty in 1991 for killing six people. Whereas, Imdad was handed capital punishment in 2002 for killing a citizen.

Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, in his opening remarks, said:

"The mental health of a person is as important and significant as his physical health. Unfortunately, it is often not given the importance and seriousness it deserves. Because of certain misconceptions, the implications of mental illnesses are overlooked and the vulnerability or disability that it causes is not given due attention."

The apex court bench in its decision announced that "after considering the material discussed herein above, we hold that if a condemned prisoner, due to mental illness, is found to be unable to comprehend the rationale and reason behind his/her punishment, then carrying out the death sentence will not meet the ends of justice."

The SC, however, added the condition, that a medical board must review and certifies after a thorough examination that the condemned inmate no longer has the "higher mental functions to appreciate the rationale and reasons behind the sentence of death awarded to him/her."

Read the full judgment.