Quetta, October 12, 2025 — The Balochistan High Court has ruled that prisoners convicted under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) are not eligible for presidential pardons or sentence reductions.
In a detailed judgment, the court clarified that Section 21-F of the Anti-Terrorism Act overrides general laws, leaving no room for remission or clemency for those convicted of terrorism-related offenses. All constitutional petitions filed in 2023 and 2024 seeking relief under Article 45 and Prison Rules have been dismissed.
The court observed that the intent of Section 21-F, enacted in 2001, was to permanently bar terrorists from seeking pardons. It further stated that terrorists constitute a distinct legal category, and therefore, such exclusion does not violate Article 25 of the Constitution regarding equality before law.
The Home Department and Prison Authorities were directed to immediately withdraw all illegal clemencies and sentence remissions. The Inspector General of Prisons was ordered to submit a list of prisoners granted B-Class facilities to the court.
The judgment also criticized arbitrary and discriminatory leniencies granted to certain inmates, citing cases where convicts received remission far exceeding their served terms — such as Sona Khan, who served 9 years but was given 15 years’ remission, and Amanullah, who served 8 years yet obtained 9 years’ clemency.
The court emphasized that the President’s powers of pardon are subject to Islamic principles and state policy, declaring that granting clemency to serious offenders undermines justice. Authorities were instructed to ensure full legal compliance in all future clemency cases.
