The Supreme Court of Pakistan permitted a convict to have a petition entertained without first surrendering to police or jail officials. A division bench led by Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan cited the proviso to Rule 8 of Order XXIV of the Supreme Court Rules, 2025 to reach this decision.
Under these rules, a court may accept an application or appeal from a convict who surrenders before the bench, bypassing the requirement to report to a prison. The order issued in the matter related to ex-MNA Jamshed Dasti stated, "Therefore, it is held that under the amended Supreme Court Rules 2025, it is for the court to decide that as to whether the surrender of the petitioner/applicant/appellant before the Court is sufficient or he has to be sent to the jail in compliance of the orders/judgments of his imprisonment."
Future appeals or applications filed by convicts against their convictions must be numbered and placed directly before the court. The bench dismissed objections from the Supreme Court registrar office dated 18 November 2025 concerning the petition of Dasti.
Upon request, the registrar office must schedule the case for the same day or a date chosen by the petitioners or their counsel, including any office objections. Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan's bench granted protective bail to Dasti.
The court requested the Punjab government to provide details on the total number of cases registered against Dasti in the province. Police departments were ordered not to arrest Dasti until the next hearing date.
The court adjourned the hearing of the case until 22 October.
