Supreme Court commutes father's death sentence to life to prevent 'judiciary-sponsored orphanhood'

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has commuted the death sentence of Muhammad Amin, a man convicted of killing his wife and daughter in Vehari in 2021, to life imprisonment. The decision was made with consideration for the welfare of his surviving child.

The three-member bench, which included Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, heard Muhammad Amin's jail petition challenging the Lahore High Court Multan Bench's decision of June 17, 2025, which had upheld his death sentence.

Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, authoring the judgment, observed that executing the sole surviving parent would make the child a “silent victim” of the justice system. The judgment stated, “When the judiciary imposes the death penalty upon a surviving parent, it inadvertently sanctions what can only be described as ‘judiciary-sponsored orphanhood.’”

Muhammad Amin had been convicted of murdering his wife, Ms Kausar Ghani, and his daughter. The court's decision to commute the sentence was based on the principle of prioritizing the child's welfare, recognizing the impact that the execution of the only remaining parent would have on the child's life.

The Supreme Court's ruling highlights the judiciary's consideration of broader social consequences in capital punishment cases, particularly where children would be left without parental care and support.