President Asif Ali Zardari has approved a 180-day special remission in the sentences of prisoners across the country in connection with Pakistan Day and Eid-ul-Fitr, exercising powers under Article 45 of the Constitution.

The remission will not apply to inmates convicted of murder, espionage, or anti-state activities. Individuals found guilty of financial crimes or causing damage to the national exchequer are also excluded from this relief.

Under the announced measure, female prisoners aged over 60 who have served at least one-third of their sentence will be eligible for the sentence reduction.

The move is aimed at providing relief to select categories of prisoners while maintaining exclusions based on the nature and severity of crimes.