Muhammad Ahmed (80) is the eldest prisoner of Pakistan who served 50 years in jail due to non-payment of fine of Rs 20,000 (264 dollars) He was released on Friday, September 12, 2008 when a lawyer, Yousaf Abid paid the fine for him. The lawyer also got released another five prisoners by clearing their fines. Muhammad Ahmed was sentenced to death, twice, by District and Sessions Judge, Multan in 1958, in double murder case.
His death sentence was converted into life term in 1988. He was the only person in his family and he could not be released due to non-payment of fine. The lawyer from Lahore, Muhammad Yousaf Abid, paid Rs 0.3 million($3947) and got released six prisoners--Muhammad Ahmed (80), Ahmed Bakhsh, his three sons Ajmal, Mazhar and Nazar of Khanewal, and Rehan Ahmed of Kot Adu (Muzaffargarh).
As many as 58 convicts are languishing in various jails across the province despite expiry of their sentences because they have not paid the fine ordered by competent trial courts, Punjab Prisons Inspector General (IG) Farooq Nazeer said on Friday. He told reporters that total fine payable by the convicts was Rs 16,951,879 ($223,051). "They are doomed to lifetime confinement if they don't pay the fine," he added.
He said that another 61 convicts were kept in prison in lieu of non-payment of fine of Rs 7,457,684. "According to court decision, these convicts will be released after undergoing additional imprisonment in case they default on fine, but those who must pay 'diyat', 'damaan' or 'arsh' cannot be freed unless the amount in question is paid," he added.
The Prisons IG called on philanthropists to assist the Prisons Department in release of such prisoners. He said online payment of fine can be made in account No 0273423371002448 of MCB Bank, Eden Centre Branch (Code-1217), Lahore.